Pumpkin Bread Muffins

I'm all for trying to make the kids happy by fixing their favorite foods. I love to cook/bake, and I love it when what I've created makes them happy, too.  So, it's typically a win-win situation.

But, let's be honest, sometimes I just feel plain lazy. And even though I want to make the kids happy I just can't bring myself to pull out a dozen different ingredients and dirt 3 different bowls to make a pan of  __________ .

My oldest son LOVES pumpkin bread, and not just in the fall. He'd eat it year 'round if I made it. Finally, after he asked for pumpkin bread during the 2 hottest weeks of summer, I found a recipe that might possibly make us both happy - pumpkin cupcakes.

Here is what you need:

A box of yellow cake mix (I used a sugar -free version); a can of pumpkin (I used an organic pumpkin - NOT PUMPKIN PIE FILLING); and a tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice. If you're not big on spice you could cut that back some, but it did add a nice warmth to the cupcakes.

And here's the super-duper complicated directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Lightly grease a 12-muffin pan (or use liners).
3. Bake as directed on the box for cupcakes.

And then you end up with...

I have to admit - I was VERY skeptical about this recipe when I first saw it. I just wasn't sure how it could work - but it did and they were quite delicious. My son approved :-)

Oh, and the house smelled YUMMY all day!

And, of course, I didn't come up with the original idea, I just added the pumpkin pie spice. I'd love to share the original link with you, but it doen't seem to be working anymore. :/