Pumpkin Spice & a Body on Ice Page 9

  Mayor Gillespie was at the end of the counter in his usual spot, sipping a steaming cup of coffee. The seat beside him was noticeably empty, but I didn’t think it would be for long.

  “Starla, it looks like losing the cupcake contest didn’t hurt your business at all,” he said, looking over the diner.

  He was right. Even though I’d lost the crown of Cupcake Queen, the diner was as popular as ever. Our on-line business was flourishing and our little, tight knit community was safe and secure once again.

  My name is Starla Cupp and I live my life on purpose.

  Starla’s Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

  1 cup of self-rising flour

  3/4 cup of rolled oats

  1 and 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spices.

  1 tablespoon powdered orange drink (Tang)

  2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

  2 large eggs

  1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

  ¼ cup vegetable oil

  ¼ cup applesauce

  1/3 cup milk

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  1 tablespoon honey

  ½ cup walnut pieces

  Directions:

  Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners or spray with nonstick spray. This recipe makes 14 cupcakes, so you will have a couple cupcakes to bake in a 2nd batch.

  In a large bowl, toss the flour, oats and spices together until combined. Set aside.

  In a medium bowl, whisk the brown sugar and eggs together until combined. Whisk in the pumpkin, oil, applesauce, milk, vanilla and honey until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do NOT overmix the batter. Gently fold in walnut pieces.

  Spoon the batter evenly into 14 cups; fill the unused cups one-third full with water to prevent warping. Bake for 17-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting. Leftover cupcakes keep well covered tightly at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 3 days.

  NOTE: I don’t always measure exactly when I bake so these measurements might not be EXACT. Please adjust this to your own taste, experiment with different ingredients such as raisins, cranberries (for a little tartness) or pecans and enjoy!

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