Pumpkin cupcakes with honey-cinnamon frosting
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup milk
1 cup pumpkin

Directions/cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Line 24 muffin cups.
Sift together the dry ingredients and set aside.
Beat 1/2 cup of butter and sugars. Add the eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to be fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the milk and pumpkin. Stir in the dry mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Honey-cinnamon frosting
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes.

Cappuccino cupcakes with coffee frosting
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup butter
16 tablespoons sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 heaping tablespoons instant espresso
6 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 190C. Mix all ingredients but milk. Add milk last. Spoon into prepared baking cups (paper liners work best). Bake about 20 minutes. Frost when cool.

Coffee frosting
10 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

Dissolve espresso powder in cream and vanilla mixture
Beat butter until smooth, add sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in the cream, vanilla, espresso mixture until smooth and reaches desired consistency.

Banana-Nutella cupcakes
4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Nutella (as much as you feel you need)

Preheat oven to 175C. Line cupcake pan with papers. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs. Beat. Add bananas, milk, vanilla. Beat. Add dry ingredients. Beat until smooth. Drop a small blob of batter into liner. Add a dollop of Nutella, but do not let it touch the sides. Cover the top with more banana batter, add a bit of Nutella and swirl it into the top layer of batter. Bake about 25 minutes.

Pretend Hostess cupcakes
Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups flour, plus 6 more tablespoons
1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
a bit less than 1/4 teaspoon salt
6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups, plus 6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons water

Filling:
18 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 1/4 cups marshmallow fluff
4 1/2 tablespoons, plus 3 teaspoons heavy cream

Frosting:
3/4 cups heavy cream
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

For cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 175C. Line cupcake pans. Mix dry ingredients and set aside. In another bowl, combine egg yolks, oil, 1 1/2 cups sugar and water until well mixed.
Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
With whisk attachment of mixer, beat the egg whites at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the rest of the 6 tablespoons and whisk until the egg whites are stiff and glossy.
Beat one quarter of the egg whites into the batter. Gently add the remainder of the egg whites in, folding it until no streaks remain.
Bake about 13 to 15 minutes. Cool slightly and then remove from pans to rack.

Filling:
Beat butter, sugar, marshmallow fluff and 4 1/2 tablespoons of heavy cream until fluffy. If mixture is too thick, add additional cream to be able to pipe.
Put the mixture into a piping bag to fill the cupcakes.

To fill: Gently insert tip of pastry bag about a half-inch into the cupcakes and lightly squeeze some filling inside each one.

Frosting:
In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the cream until streaming, stirring constantly.
Remove cream from heat, add the chocolate and let stand 5 minutes.
Add butter and stir until smooth.
Transfer chocolate to small bowl.
Dip the top of the filled cupcakes to thoroughly coat.
Refrigerate the cupcakes for at least ten minutes.