It’s official, fall is here. And while we lament the end of warm summer days, fall is one of our favourite seasons here at Never Enough Thyme – the colours, the cool nights and of course, the food. With fresh fall veggies in season right now, we love experimenting with the produce that autumn has to offer.
One of our most favourite of the fall vegetables is butternut squash – it has so much flavor on its own and there are many different things you can do with it, including baking with it. You’ve likely often seen butternut squash in savory dishes and may not have thought of baking with it, but let us tell you, this recipe for butternut squash cupcakes is like eating a moist and delicious piece of carrot cake – you can’t even tell it’s squash! In fact, if you want to get your kids to try squash, make these cupcakes and don’t tell them what’s in it until after they’ve devoured and wholly enjoyed these tasty treats.
Butternut squash cupcakes with maple cream cheese icing
4 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
1 cup vegetable oil
1½ cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking soda
1 cup apple sauce
2 cups shredded butternut squash
Ginger
clove
Cream Cheese Frosting
½ cup butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp vanilla
2-3 cups icing sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl mix together eggs, sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla until sugar has dissolved and is not grainy. Add apple sauce and squash and follow with dry ingredients – flours, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and clove and mix by hand until combined.
Portion batter into greased and lined muffin trays and bake in oven for approximately 18 minutes. The cupcakes will be done when a wooden pick comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool.
Icing: Beat the butter until creamy and smooth, add cream cheese and beat together. Add icing sugar (don’t add all the icing sugar at once, start with 2 cups, then add maple syrup and vanilla, then more icing sugar for spreadable consistency). Ice the cupcakes and enjoy! Happy cooking!
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