Pumpkin cupcakes with spiced maple cream cheese frosting

One of my favorite things abotu fall is baking up pumpkin treats.  This year, we wanted some special pumpkin cupcakes - we can't get enough of these!  Just sweet enough, just spiced enough, and the cupcakes are even delicious alone, without the frosting!

Ingredients for the cupcakes:

2 sticks Butter 

1-¼ cup brown sugar 

2 eggs 

1 cup buttermilk 

1 cup pumpkin 

2 teaspoons baking soda 

2-½ cups flour

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice 

Directions: 

1 - Cream butter and sugar together. 

2 - Add baking soda to buttermilk.  Stir and let sit.

3 - To the butter/brown sugar mixture, add the egg, beating well.  Mix in pumpkin.  Add the buttermilk and flour, alternating between the two and mixing well after each addition.  Finally, add the vanilla and pumpkin pie spice.  

4 - Bake at 250 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until a knife/toothpick inserted in the center of one cupcake comes out clean. 

Ingredients for frosting:

1 package cream cheese (I used reduced fat with great results)

1-2 cups powdered sugar, depending on your taste

1/2 stick butter

2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Directions for frosting: 

1 - Beat butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy.  

2 - Add maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice and beat well.

3 - Add 1 cup powdered sugar and beat well until combined.  This is where I stop; we like a less sweet frosting for these cupcakes.  Taste the frosting here and if you like a sweeter frosting, add more sugar, 1/4 cup at a time until you reach the desired sweetness.