SPICED PUMPKIN CAKES
WITH ORANGE-SCENTED CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

FOR THE CAKE:
3/4 cup butter
Pumpkin Spice Quick Bread Mix
4 large eggs
1/2 cup diced crystallized ginger (or ginger mini-chips) (optional)
3/4 cup water
FOR THE ORANGE-SCENTED CREAM CHEESE ICING:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/8 teaspoon orange oil
1 tablespoon orange zest
4 1/2 cups (1 pound) sifted glazing sugar (OR confectioners' sugar)

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the butter until soft and fluffy. Add half of the pumpkin spice mix and stir until well-blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the crystallized ginger (if you're using it; and you really should, as it makes these cakes something special). Add the water 1/4 cup at a time alternately with the remaining mix, stirring until well-blended after each addition.

Place cupcake papers into 21 muffin cups. Spoon the batter into the cups, filling each cup about half to two-thirds full.

Bake the cakes in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool before icing them. Add Halloween sugar decorations, if desired.

TO MAKE THE ICING:
Beat together the cream cheese and vegetable shortening. Add the oil and zest, beating well. Finally, add the glazing or confectioners' sugar one cup at a time, beating until fluffy

Yield: 21 cakes
Source: The King Arthur Flour Company, Inc.