Mini Pumpkin-Molasses Cakes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon baking soda 
• 0.8 cup brown sugar packed
• 0.8 cup brown sugar packed
• 0.5 cup butter softened
• 1 cup pumpkin puree canned
• 1 Leaves individually wrapped caramels (optional, instructions below)
• 1 large eggs 
• 1.8 cups flour all-purpose
• 0.8 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 0.3 cup blackstrap molasses 
• 20 servings rum 
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 20 servings vanilla 

Equipment

• frying pan
• oven
• knife
• wire rack
• hand mixer
• rolling pin
• muffin tray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 37
2. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add brown sugar, beating well.
3. Add egg, beating until blended.
4. Add canned pumpkin and molasses, beating well.
5. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to pumpkin mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Spoon into a lightly greased pumpkin-shaped muffin pan, filling three-fourths full.
6. Bake at 375 for 24 to 26 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 5 minutes.
7. Remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 30 minutes).
8. Cut rounded tops off muffins to make them flat. Invert top muffins onto bottom muffins, forming pumpkins.
9. Drizzle glaze over pumpkins. Decorate with Caramel Stems, Leaves, and Vines, if desired.
10. CARAMEL STEM: Press 1 caramel between fingers, lengthening to 1 1/2 to 2 inches to form a stem. Curl stem gently.
11. Roll caramels into 2-inch squares on a flat surface, using a rolling pin.
12. Cut into leaves, using a paring knife. Gently press tips of leaves to flatten, if desired. Score leaves, using a paring knife. Pinch bottoms of leaves together.
13. Cut 1 caramel into 3 equal pieces. Squeeze each piece gently to flatten, and roll between hands or on a flat surface into a long thin rope. Twist ends to curl.
14. *Vanilla Glaze may be substituted.
15. Note: We tested with Wilton Dimensions Multi-Cavity Mini Pumpkin Pan.