French Toast Pumpkin Cupcakes

Is there anything better than taking two things that are simply fabulous and marrying them to make an amazing new creation?  This mornings inspiration... pumpkin bread and french toast.  I adapted Paula Deen's pumpkin bread recipe into a cupcake, soaked it in sweet cream french toast batter and topped it with a maple whiskey whipped cream cheese.  Not necessarily the most nutritious breakfast ever, but completely delicious.  

French Toast Pumpkin Cupcakes

1 can pumpkin puree

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees

-In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, sugar, water and oil and stir until combined 

-In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices

-Gently fold dry ingredients into the mixture of wet ingredients to combine and press out any lumps (be careful not to over mix as the batter will stiffen)

-Grease a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray

-Distribute batter evenly among 12 muffin tins

-Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and removed cleanly

-Allow to sit for 5 minutes after removing from oven, then place each cake on to a wire rack to cool completely

For the french toast batter:

1 egg

1/4 cup lowfat milk

2 tablespoons confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 

-Preheat a nonstick skillet on medium heat for 3 minutes

-Whisk together all ingredients thoroughly 

-Dip each cupcake into the batter

-Griddle each cake on the skillet until the batter forms a crispy outer layer

-To coat challenging parts of the cake, spoon a tablespoon of batter onto the pan and press the cake in

For the whipped cream cheese:

1/2 brick of low fat cream cheese

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons bourbon 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

-Whip all ingredients in a metal bowl until the cream cheese is smooth and free of lumps (their should be a soft creamy texture overall)

-Use to top the cupcakes and serve immediately