Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

a hand piping white frosting on top of a pumpkin cupcake.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting have an ultra-fluffy texture with a tender, moist, and velvety crumb that melts in your mouth. They are the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving or any fall gathering.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, pumpkin spice cupcakes

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 25

Total Time 55

Servings Servings

Calories 318kcal

Author Maria Doss

Equipment

Ingredients

For the cupcake

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground clove
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg freshly grated, optional
¼ teaspoon allspice
1 stick unsalted butter (½ cup) at room temperature
½ cup white sugar
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs preferably at room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk

For the frosting

8 ounces cream cheese (block style) at room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter (½ cup) at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
4 cups confectioners sugar

Instructions

Make the cupcakes

Prep. Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a 12-cup standard cupcake pan with paper liners and set aside.
Mix dry ingredients. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, clove and nutmeg into a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
Mix wet ingredients. Combine butter and both sugars in a large bowl and using an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy (2 to 3 minutes). Add pumpkin puree and vegetable oil and beat until well combined.
Add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Beat in milk and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure ingredients are evenly combined.
Finish and bake. Add the dry ingredients and beat until it just comes together. Don't overmix.
Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pan, and bake for 24 to 26 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out with few moist crumbs or clean. Place pan on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Make the frosting

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until the frosting is light, fluffy, and smooth. If needed, add a little more confectioners' sugar until it reaches your desired consistency for spreading or piping.
Decorate. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. (I used Wilton 1M tip)

Video

Notes

Pumpkin pie spice - Use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead of the spices.

Pumpin puree - I like to use Libby’s brand of pumpkin puree as it is thick with rich color and taste. Different brands may be lighter in color or more watery in consistency.

Nutrition