There’s something about a cupcake, amiright?? These pumpkin cupcakes bring the flavor of pumpkin spice season to an easy-to-share dessert. Topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting, they’re going to make your mouth so happy!
Be sure to try making this pumpkin creme brûlée, too!
Do other countries have pumpkin spice season, or is that a decidedly American fixation?? Really, though, who could find anything wrong with a little dessert that some might call a pumpkin pie cupcake?
Making these pumpkin cupcakes from scratch
You can mix the cupcake batter in bowl with a hand mixer or use a stand mixer. You could also mix them the old fashioned way: with a wooden spoon. No matter which you choose, start by creaming the pumpkin, sugar, and oil together.
Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then stir them into the pumpkin mixture. Divide the batter evenly between twelve muffin tins and bake in a preheated oven.
Frosting the cupcakes
Let’s be honest: These pumpkin cupcakes are pretty good as they come out of the oven. But the crowning glory is the cream cheese frosting all swirled on top!
The cupcakes need to cool completely before you frost them, otherwise the icing will melt into a ridiculously ugly blob.
You can spread the frosting on with a knife, but to get the pretty swirl on top, you’ll need a piping bag (for cake decorating) fitted with a star tip. Scoop the frosting into the bag and use your hand to gently press it down to the tip. Not unlike managing a toothpaste tube!
Swirl the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes by starting in the center and working your way to the edges, then back up the centre, creating a dome effect.
Refrigerate these pumpkin cupcakes if you won’t be serving them right away.
Delicious Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup oil (vegetable or avocado)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened at room temperature
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 4-6 cups powdered icing sugar, to personal preference
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Line a muffin tray with paper or silicone muffin liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar and vegetable oil, about 2 minutes.
- Beat in the vanilla extract and eggs until combined.
- In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice until fully combined.
- Beat the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the cupcake batter evenly amongst the muffin liners.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, until well browned and a toothpick inserted into the cupcake comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting them.
- To make the frosting, combine the butter and 4 cups of the powdered sugar together in a large bowl. Use a hand mixer to beat until creamy; add additional sugar as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract.
To frost the cupcakes:
- Fit a piping bag with a large star tip and scoop the cream cheese frosting into the piping bag.
- Swirl the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes - starting in the centre and working your way to the edges, then back up the centre, creating a dome effect.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1177Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 463mgCarbohydrates: 242gFiber: 1gSugar: 228gProtein: 4g
