Mona's Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Before I started blogging, the idea of online friends seemed bizarre and frankly a little bit weird. I couldn't see how anyone could make natural friendships online, not like you would in real life, but I was so wrong. After a while I realised I'd formed quite a few online friendships, they all happened naturally. Some I now talk to all the time. Being chronically ill I've become slight isolated from the outside world, so these friends have become a life line in keeping me sane and connected. 
            
One of my friends is Mona, who I 'met' through Instagram. Mona loves a lot of similar things to me; dresses, Harry Potter and sweet treats. She has the most beautiful curly hair and she's just the loveliest, kindest girl. We struck up a bond over cakes and dresses along with our talented illustrator friend Morgane. Most weeks we end up oohing and awing over cakes and what we would share if we were to have our own tea party. 

The other day Mona posted a simple recipe for pumpkin pie cupcakes which looked so delicious. Pumpkin is one of my favourites so I knew I had to try and make this recipe.

Rewind to my teens and I hated pumpkin, maybe I had a bad experience with a pumpkin soup, or maybe it's the smell they give off when you carve them - whatever it was my hate has long gone and been replaced with love. Oh yes! I love pumpkins. From pumpkin pie to Yo Sushi's pumpkin korroke - which my best friend and I refer to as just "pumpkins" and have to order them straight away - we're obsessed! Last year I made Pumkin and Maple cupcakes (here), but this year my energy is pretty low so I needed a really easy recipe, a five minute chuck it all in a bowl and mix affair. I found exactly what I was looking for when I saw Mona's recipe. It's essentially a recipe for mini crustless pumpkin pies. The filling is always the best so I knew I would love these! I tried them out a few days ago and they taste amazing! I added a little vanilla bean paste to the cream and topped with honeycomb pieces, I totally forgot to dust them with cinnamon until after I had added my autumnal cake toppers I picked up in Tescos a while ago.

It's been so lovely to try out Mona's recipe and to be able to share on here. I would really recommend it to anyone who loves pumpkins. It would be a fantastic one to try out for Halloween parties this weekend.

Full recipe details can be found (here)

Emma Xx