[quote=Griever]
 Avoid using goopy and "wet" () ingredients like bananas or pureed pumpkin in your cupcake, unless absolutely necessary, they generally turn out goopy and wet to the judges.
[/quote]

If by "judges" you mean my fellow students, yeah. Then again, I have a feeling none of them did much baking in their short lives anyway. 

What would you suggest instead of the canned pumpkin?