PUMPKIN CUPCAKES:
Preheat the oven at 160ºC conventional oven and line a 12-cup cupcake tray with 12 cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt.

In another mixing bowl add all of the wet ingredients, and with a hand whisk, whisk them together until combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir it all together with a whisk or a rubber spatula. Make sure there is no dry flour left in the batter.

Divide the cupcake batter into the 12 cupcake liners and bake them for 23-24 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool on a cooling rack. After 5 minutes, gently remove the cupcakes from the cupcake tin and let them cool down completely.

BROWN SUGAR CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
Take the butter and cream cheese out of the fridge 10 minutes before starting. Cut the butter into cubes. Sift the powdered sugar.

In your stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, start by creaming the butter and dark brown sugar for 5 minutes on high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it another mix for 2 minutes.

Add the vanilla extract and cream cheese and cream it together with the butter for 1 minute.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and on low speed, mix the sifted powdered sugar in 2 parts, letting the powdered sugar mix in with butter and cream cheese before adding the next part. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it a final mix for 2 minutes.

Add the frosting to a piping bag with a round piping tip e.g. a Wilton 1A and pipe the frosting of the cupcakes. Optionally decorate a dusting of pumpkin spice or cinnamon.

Notes - Make your own pumpkin spice: Mix together 2 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¾ teaspoon ground cloves, ¾ teaspoon ground allspice. Store at in a cupboard in an airtight container.