Heinz Ketchup Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

When fall rolls around I immediately think of the house filled with the aroma of yummy spices like cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. All week I have been wanting to try something different in the spice cupcake category. Now if you're one of those (like my father was) who thinks ketchup makes everything taste better, then these are the cupcakes for you. And if you think ketchup in baked goods is gross, well, these cupcakes may surprise you. 

To commemorate its Canadian Centennial, Heinz created a recipe for Ketchup Cake. The ketchup lends a nice red color, moist texture, and "spice" to the cake, mimicking a spicy carrot cake without all the extra work of shredding carrots.  I think I'll just call them my Spicy Red Velvet  Cupcakes and let people wonder what the secret ingredient is that makes it so moist and delicious. 

Heinz Ketchup Cupcakes

Recipe adapted from the Heinz website

Cupcake Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp each ground nutmeg and ginger
1/2 cup Heinz tomato ketchup
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp red food coloring
3/4 cup butter, softened
11/2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
2 eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place liners into two 12 cup muffin pans.

Stir the flour with the baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and ginger into a bowl. Stir the ketchup, water and coloring in a separate bowl. Set aside.

Beat the butter and blend in the sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the eggs. Add the flour mixture and ketchup mixture. Beat on low, scraping down the bowl as needed, until combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for one minute.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool the cupcakes for 10 minutes before turning onto a rack to cool completely.

Cupcakes just out of the oven...

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

8 oz brick-style cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups icing sugar

Frosting Directions:

Beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla on medium speed for  3-5 minutes or until smooth. 

Gradually beat in the sugar on low, scraping the bowl as needed. Beat on high until fluffy.

Frost the cupcakes or pipe on frosting with your favorite piping tip and decorate as you wish.

Don't be afraid to try these.  They are delicious.

Enjoy!