Lightened Up Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cool Whip Cream Cheese Frosting

Fast, Easy and WW friendly. 

But let me warn you...these aren't light and fluffy cakes.  They are dense and thick...almost gooey brownie like...which I am still on the fence whether I like or not...but they taste wonderful and I am in love with the frosting...so I decided to share.  The cupcakes are made from a boxed spice cake mix, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice. 

What I am really excited about is the frosting.  It's a new food find for me...and I have only seen it at one store I shop at.  It's Cool Whip Frosting, and it's available in cream cheese (pictured), chocolate, and vanilla.  I have sampled them all and they all taste quite good.  And the best part?  They are only 60 calories per 2 TBSP (2P+), which is about the amount of frosting pictured on the cupcake above.

Now I know it has a lot of ingredients in it that are less than healthy, but this is a once in awhile product.  You won't be eating this everyday (well, at least you shouldn't be eating this daily!)...and it is so much better than the canned stuff!  Lower in calories, fat and sugar...and it tastes better! 

This stuff is so new I can hardly find any product information on it.  That's why I haven't provided any links to follow.  They just don't exist.  

So how does it taste?  You can definitely taste the cool whip component in it.  It's light and fluffy, yet it has enough body to stand up to piping.  It has a richness to it, even though it's light.  You can definitely taste the vanilla in the vanilla flavor, the cocoa in the chocolate flavor, and the cream cheese in the cream cheese flavor, although the vanilla flavor and the cream cheese flavor are more subtle than the chocolate flavor .  Please note that I bought this product with my own money and the opinions expressed are mine.  I have not been compensated by Kraft in anyway.  

You can find this product in the freezer section, by the other cool whip products.  To use, you simply defrost. 

It's really hard to find a decent frosting that is low enough in calories to top lightened up cake recipes.  This one really fits the bill.  Plus, doesn't it look beautiful piped on top of these cupcakes?

 

Lightened Up Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cool Whip Cream Cheese Frosting

Servings - 18     Serving Size - 1 cup cake with 2 TBS Cool Whip Cream Cheese Frosting   

Points Plus per serving - (WITHOUT frosting) 3 Points+,  (WITH frosting) 4 Points+

For Cupcakes WITHOUT frosting - Calories - 91.2,   Total Fat - 0.9g,   Carbs - 20.5g,   Protein - 1.2g,   Fiber - 0.2g  (3P+)

For Cupcakes WITH frosting - Calories - 151.2,   Total Fat - 4.4g,   Carbs - 28.5g,   Protein - 1.2g,   Fiber - 0.2g  (4P+) *don't ask me how, but this is just how the math turns out.  

1 - 15.25 oz. box of Spice Cake Mix ( I used Betty Crocker brand)

1 - 15 oz. can of 100% pure pumpkin puree

3/4 cup water

1 - 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1- 10.6 oz. container of Cool Whip Frosting, Cream Cheese flavor (you won't use all of it)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line cupcake pan(s) with 18 liners or generously spray wells with cooking spray.  

2.  Combine cake mix, pumpkin puree, water and pumpkin pie spice.  With electric mixer on low, combine ingredients then turn up to med-high and beat for 2 minutes.  The batter will be thick.  Portion out the batter into the wells, filling each about 2/3 full to 3/4 full.  ( I used a scoop to put the batter into the wells...it's thick and this worked well)  

3.  Bake in oven for approx. 20-25 minutes.  This batter doesn't spread well.  It does raise a bit, but less than traditional cupcake batter, and the tops get a crackle appearance.  Cool on wire rack.  When completely cool, frost each one with 2 TBS of Cool Whip Frosting.  

-------------------------------------

Dense, almost pumpkin pie-like, texture to these cupcakes.  I've made chocolate cake with pumpkin puree before, but used a bundt pan to make an entire cake...which we really enjoyed.  Like I said, I am on the fence about the texture of these cupcakes, as I like my cupcakes light and fluffy.  But the pumpkin taste is most definitely there, unlike how it hides in chocolate cake.  Because I made my cupcakes small, and got 18 out of the mix, I was able to reduce the PP to 3P+ per cake, which is great!

The real star of these cupcakes is this wonderful frosting though!  I love this new for me food find.  And how crazy is it that you can eat a well frosted cupcake for 4P+??  Love that!