Pumpkin Twinkie Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes
• 1 cup cake flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
For the Marshmallow Filling
• 7 oz jar of Marshmallow Fluff
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons very hot water
For the Marshmallow Frosting
• 1/2 cup Marshmallow Fluff
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-4 cups powdered sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in a muffin tin.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl.
3. Add in the pumpkin puree, oil, vanilla and egg yolks. Whisk until fully combined.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the egg whites and the cream of tartar and whip until stiff peaks form.
5. Fold in about one third of the egg whites to lighten the batter, then very gently fold in the rest of the egg whites until incorporated.
6. Divide the batter between the lined muffin tins, about 2/3 full.
7. Bake 9-11 minutes, until the cakes are puffed and fully set. Let cool for a few minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
8. When cool, take a small, sharp knife and cut a small cone shape out of the top of each cupcake and discard the cone.
For the filling
9. Dissolve salt into hot water and allow to cool. Set aside.
10. Cream together the marshmallow fluff, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until fluffy.
11. Add salt water and beat.
12. Scoop about a half cup of filling into a zip top bag and snip one small corner from the bag. Place the tip in the hole you've made in each cupcake, and squeeze enough filling to fill to the top of cupcake.
For the frosting
13. To the rest of the filling, add marshmallow fluff, butter and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy.
14. Slowly add powdered sugar until it is thick enough to pipe onto cupcakes, adding water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed.
15. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes, making sure to cover up the hole made for the filling.