Pumpkin Spice Patty Cakes

For Joseph's birthday, I wanted to make a more "baby friendly" cake that was low in sugar. None of the recipes I found sounded very appetizing, and I used to make a great pumpkin spice muffin with a boxed spice cake mix and can of pumpkin, so I thought I'd try to duplicate a scratch recipe for that. It still doesn't get as light and puffy as box mix, but it tastes pretty good!

Jen's Pumpkin Spice Patty Cakes

3/4c butter
1/2c sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2c applesauce
15oz can pumpkin
1.5T pumpkin pie spice
2c all purpose flour
1t baking soda
3/4t baking powder
1/2t salt

Combine flour, spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Beat butter for 30 second on high. Add sugar slowly, beat for 3-4 min. Scrape down the bowl, and beat 2 more minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and applesauce and mix together. Alternate adding pumpkin and flour mixture while mixing on low. When it comes together, beat 20 more seconds. Pour batter into cupcake cups, filling almost all the way to the top. Bake at 350 for about 20 min. Makes 18 cupcakes.

Ice with a cream cheese frosting - beat 8 oz of softened cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar slowly until you get the right texture. Add a tsp of vanilla and mix in. I think I used about 4c of sugar. Normal recipes call for 6 or so.