These moist pumpkin cupcakes frosted with cream cheese buttercream are absolutely delicious and so easy to make. These pumpkin spice cupcakes are the perfect sweet treat for fall and dare I say it's the only pumpkin cupcake recipe you'll ever need.
Honestly, fall has always been my favorite time of year. Living in a four season state really makes you appreciate the different themes of the season. I cannot explain fall. It is a feeling. IYKYK!
Warm spices, cozy hoodie vibes, burnt orange hues, cider mills, apple orchards, pumpkin patches, hay rides, spooky season, and cool weather with beautiful leaves and a bonfire scent in the air. It is simply the best and fall baking season is the most fun and delicious out of any baking I do all year! My house smells amazing and I look forward to it every year and no one can tell me any different.
My family expects pumpkin rolls from me each year, but if that is intimidating, start with these pumpkin spice cupcakes. They taste very similarly in cupcake form!
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Ingredients for Pumpkin Cupcakes
These simple pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting require simple fall ingredients such as pure pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. If you'd like to make your own pumpkin puree, check out my post on how to make homemade pumpkin puree.
- all purpose flour
- pumpkin pie spice
- baking powder
- baking soda
- fine sea salt
- pure pumpkin puree
- large eggs
- neutral oil (vegetable, canola, avocado)
- dark brown sugar
- sugar
- vanilla extract
- cream cheese
- unsalted butter
- powdered sugar
How to Make Pumpkin Cupcakes
These pumpkin spice cupcakes are so easy to make because this recipe uses the wet dry method. Basically this means you whisk all of the dry ingredients together in one bowl and all of the wet ingredients together in another bowl, finally combining them together to create the easiest cupcake batter.
I like to use a cookie scoop to distribute the cupcake batter evenly in the cupcake liners. Then we bake these pumpkin cupcakes to perfection where they will get the most perfect rise and texture. Allowing them to cool completely before frosting.
Lastly, we will make the cream cheese buttercream which also comes together quickly in a stand mixer with softened butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. I use a Wilton 1A large open circle piping tip for that luxurious silky swirl but you can frost these cupcakes any way you would like. Dash a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice over top to finish them off!
Tips for Baking the Best Cupcakes
- Avoid overfilling cupcake liners! This is one of the easiest mistakes to make when baking cupcakes. Fill the cupcakes according to the individual recipe. Some recipes call for only ½ full, ⅔ full, and some cupcake recipes may even call for ¾ of the way full. Regardless, listen to the recipe and DO NOT fill to the top.
- Use room temperature ingredients. This is especially true for cold ingredients often used for cupcakes such as milk, eggs, and/or butter. Butter can be melted or softened at room temperature.
- Measure the flour properly. Flour is the most commonly incorrectly measured ingredient in baking and using too much or too little can greatly alter the outcome of any recipe. The MOST accurate way to measure flour is to weigh it. Most recipes will account for around 120-130 grams per 1 cup of flour. If you do not have a scale or the recipe does not specify metric measurements, use the spoon and level method! At the very least, you should ALWAYS fluff up the flour before measuring it into the measuring cups. Fluff the flour up with a utensil in the container and/or bag, then use a spoon to spoon the flour into the measuring cup until full, then take the straight edge/handle of the spoon or butter knife to level off the flour from the top of the measuring cup.
- Avoid overmixing! Always whisk the dry ingredients in a separate bowl first and then fold the dry ingredients in gently. This helps to avoid overdeveloping the gluten. If you are using a gluten free flour 1:1 blend, then you do not need to worry about this as much.
- Use cupcake liners! These are a must for cupcakes. No ifs, ands, or buts about it!
- Use a cookie scoop/ice cream scoop to distribute the cupcake batter evenly in the cupcake pan. This is an easy tip to distribute the batter evenly (you could also use a scale to ensure each cupcake weights the exact same) and this method helps avoid making a mess with the batter.
- Do not open the oven while the cupcakes are baking. Use the oven light to help you see the cupcakes while baking. Opening the oven lets out a ton of heat and can sink the middle of the cupcakes.
- When making mini cupcakes, use mini add ins! For example, instead of regularly sized chocolate chips, use mini chocolate chips. For any fruits or nuts, chop them first before folding into the cupcake batter. Remember mini cupcakes also require much less time to bake!
- Let baked cupcakes cool COMPLETELY. It is essential for the cupcakes to be cool before decorating with frosting and/or toppings.
More Pumpkin Recipes...
Looking for other pumpkin inspired recipes like this? Try these:
More Fall Recipes...
More fall inspired recipes full of warm spices:
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Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Buttercream
Equipment
- stand mixer or electric mixer with beater blade
- measuring cups & spoons
- large cookie scoop optional to help distribute the cupcake batter evenly in the pan
- whisk
- large piping bag
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cupcakes
- 1¼ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!)
- 2 large large eggs (room temperature)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Buttercream
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick softened, room temperature)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients including all pupose flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.1¼ cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1¼ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together wet ingredients including pumpkin puree, dark brown sugar, sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract.½ cup dark brown sugar, ½ cup sugar, 1 cup pure pumpkin puree, 2 large large eggs, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Fill the cupcake liners ⅔ of the way full. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting (very important or the frosting will melt!)
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
- In a stand mixer fitted with a beater attachment, cream together the softened butter and softened cream cheese until uniform, scraping down the bowl as necessary.8 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup unsalted butter
- Add in the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla extract. Whip on low speed at first to avoid the powdered sugar from spilling out and gradually increase to medium speed. Scape the bowl down and mix until smooth and uniform, around 3 minutes.4 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Fit a piping bag with a large open circle piping tip and fill with cream cheese buttercream frosting. Alternatively you can use a butter knife or frosting spatula to ice these cupcakes. However you choose to frost the cupcakes, make sure the cupcakes are completely cool first. Dash a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice over top of the frosted cupcakes. Enjoy!
- Store finished cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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