Welcome to the Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe even beginner bakers can perfect! These little pumpkin delights are moist and fluffy, speckled with the perfect amount of spices and pumpkin flavor, and topped with a sweet and tangy cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Not to mention they are extremely adorable.
Pumpkin Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting come together with pantry staples and spices you probably already have in your cabinets. They're extremely easy to make, have the perfect texture, and require no crazy, extra steps. Simple, straightforward, and delicious. For more super yummy, no-fuss, Fall recipes, try our pumpkin coffee cake or pumpkin spice cookies next!
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN CUPCAKES
To kick off your easy Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes, you first want to set out any cold ingredients to bring them to room temperature, specifically your eggs, butter, and sour cream.
Once your ingredients are ready, preheat your oven to 350°F and grab 2 muffin tins lined with baking cups.
Spritz the baking cups and the pan with baking spray and set them aside until ready to use. Next, you'll mix up your dry ingredients! Add all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground cloves to a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
Grabbing a storebought pumpkin pie spice can be tempting, but trust us. This homemade pumpkin spice mix is the perfect blend of spices to take your cupcakes to extreme heights of deliciousness!
Set the dry ingredients aside, and you'll move on to your wet ingredients!
Add room-temperature, unsalted butter and granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl and use a handheld mixer on medium-high speed to mix.
Beat the butter and sugar together for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture appears visibly lightened in color and fluffy. Next, you'll add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then, add the vanilla and mix until combined.
Next, you'll add in the pumpkin purée, not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling; they are not the same. This recipe calls for one whole 15-ounce can of pumpkin purée.
If you aren't using a 15-ounce can of pumpkin purée, you will need to reach for the measuring cups and measure out one and a half cups of pumpkin puree!
You'll also add in the sour cream and mix to combine. If your mix appears curdled at this point, don't fret! This is completely normal and your easy Pumpkin Cupcakes will turn out amazing despite appearances at this stage of the recipe.
Once your wet ingredients are combined, add in your dry ingredients and mix on low. It's a good precaution to wipe the sides of a bowl with a silicone spatula to ensure everything is mixed in as it should be.
Fill each cupcake cavity about ⅔ of the way full and transfer to the oven to bake for about 22 minutes. Rotate the pans about halfway through the baking time.
There are 2 ways to determine whether your cupcakes are ready! The first is to gently poke the top of the cupcake with your finger. If the indention slowly rises back up and fills out, the cupcakes are ready. Another way to test for doneness is to insert a toothpick into the center of the cupcake. Your cupcakes are ready if the toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
Once the cupcakes are finished baking, remove them from the oven and set them on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Then, remove the cupcakes from the pan and set them on a wire rack until completely cooled.
CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING FOR PUMPKIN CUPCAKES
While you are waiting for the cupcakes to cool, go ahead and whip up your cream cheese frosting.
Add room temperature, unsalted butter, and room temperature cream cheese to a large mixing bowl and mix on medium-high speed until combined.
Then, you'll add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, clove, and a pinch of salt. Begin mixing on low, and as soon as the powdered sugar appears to be mostly mixed in, you can increase the speed to medium-high. Continue mixing on medium-high until the cream cheese frosting is completely smooth and fluffy.
Make sure you allow enough time for the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting! Then, pipe or spoon on the cinnamon cream cheese frosting, serve, and enjoy!
5 MORE PUMPKIN RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pumpkin Mousse
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Pumpkin Muffins
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pumpkin Mousse
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Easy Pumpkin Muffin Recipe
Pumpkin Cupcakes
Ingredients
FOR THE PUMPKIN CUPCAKES:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 room temperature large eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 cup room temperature unsalted butter
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 15-ounce can ( = to 1 ½ cups) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ½ cup sour cream
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- 6 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter
- 1 (8-ounce) package block-style softened cream cheese
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- Generous pinch fine sea salt
Instructions
MAKE AND BAKE THE CUPCAKES:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line 2 muffin tins with baking cups. Spritz the baking cups and pan with baking spray. Set aside until ready to use.
- Add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves to a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set the dry mix aside.
- Add the eggs to a small bowl and use the tines of a fork to whisk and combine. Set aside until ready to use.
- Add the butter and granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl, and using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, mix for 2 to 3 minutes. Once the mixture appears fluffy and visibly lightened in color. Add in the eggs and vanilla, and mix until combined.
- Next, add the pumpkin and sour cream and mix until combined. Do not worry if the mixture appears slightly curdled. This is from the pumpkin and is normal.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix with the mixer on low until just combined.
- Divide the batter amongst the muffin pans, filling each cavity about ⅔'s of the way full. Bake at 350°F for 22 minutes, rotating the pans about halfway through the bake time.
- Remove the pans from the oven and set aside on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pans and set them on a rack to cool completely.
MAKE THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- Add the butter and cream cheese to a large, clean mixing bowl and mix on medium-high speed until well combined.
- Add the remaining frosting ingredients, and with the mixer on low, mix until mostly combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix for 2 to 3 minutes more, until completely smooth and fluffy.
ICE THE CUPCAKES:
- Add big scoops of the icing into a piping bag fitted with a large piping tip. Twist the bag shut and pipe your favorite designs across the surface of the cupcakes. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
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