Pumpkin Cranberry Cupcakes

Pumpkin and squash are symbolic foods for Rosh Hashanah.

Before eating pumpkin or squash (k’ra’a in Hebrew) on Rosh Hashanah, some families say “yikarul’ fanekhaz’ khuyoteinu”—may our good deeds call out our merit before You. Others use the resemblance between the word “k’ra’a” (pumpkin) and the word “kara”—to cut or rip—to express the hope that any bad deeds will be ripped out of God’s book.

When is Rosh Hashanah 2018? Click here to find out.

Ingredients

1 15-oz can pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup dried cranberries

2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 and line a cupcake pan with paper or silicone liners. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and powder, and spices; set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the sugars and butter together until fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin puree, stirring until fully combined. Fold in the cranberries.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring until just combined. Pour batter into prepared cupcake tins, filling each tin approximately 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a tester comes out clean. Allow to fully cool, then frost as desired or sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

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