Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe

This Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe is perfectly spiced and made with fresh Pumpkin Puree. Topped with creamy yet fluffy and oh so easy cream cheese frosting, this Recipe for pumpkin cupcakes is a great way to celebrate all the yum flavors of fall.

Try my Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls or these fluffy and easy Cinnamon Rolls next. Find more Fall Desserts on the blog here.

Cupcakes Texture:

• Fluffy and Moist Pumpkin Cupcakes
• with perfectly balanced pumpkin flavor
• Sweetened with only brown sugar as opposed to this Pumpkin Cake that is sweetened with both granulated and brown sugars
• Topped with creamy homemade Cream Cheese Frosting

I have made tried numerous Pumpkin Recipes since I started baking. But this recipe is most liked by anyone who tries it. This recipe always produce super soft and moist cupcakes that bake and rise wonderfully.

Then there is this perfectly pipeable silky frosting that pairs so well with these pumpkin spiced cupcakes! In short, you need to try them out! 

RECIPE FOR PUMPKIN CUPCAKES:

INGREDIENTS:

• Light brown sugar - Adds the sweetness to these cupcakes and also makes them very moist and flavorful. If you too are a fan of brown sugar flavor in your bakes, try my Pecan Bars Recipe next and thank me later!
• Vegetable oil - Any flavorless oil such as canola or even avocado oil works. You can also use coconut oil here.
• Vanilla extract - Vanilla adds that warm and comforting taste we all love.
• Eggs - These should be at room temperature. To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, immerse them in hot water for a few minutes, pat them dry and you are good to go.
• Flour - All purpose flour gives the cupcakes their structure and texture.
• Leaveners -How many calories are in a homemade pumpkin cupcake?
• Ground cinnamon - I love the cinnamon flavor here. Don't skip it!
• Spices - Along with spices like nutmeg, cloves and ginger, I also like to add a pinch of black pepper that's totally optional, but you will love it.
• Pumpkin Puree: I use store bought pumpkin puree to make these cupcakes.

For the frosting:

• Cream Cheese - Room temperature and full fat cream cheese works the best. Make sure to take out butter and cream cheese out of fridge prior to beginning. Cold butter and cream cheese may lead to lumps in the frosting.
• Butter - I like to use unsalted butter. This way you get to control the amount of salt that goes in the batter.
• Confectioners' sugar - This adds the sweetness to the frosting. Make sure to sift it if it's lumpy for a smooth textured frosting.

HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN CUPCAKES

Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add cupcake liners to your pan.

Add wet ingredients. Mix together the brown sugar, oil, canned pumpkin, vanilla, and eggs. Use a whisk and mix them all together until it is smooth. .

Combine wet and dry. Add the dry ingredients- baking powder, baking soda  flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, black pepper (if using) and salt to the wet mixture and stir.

Put into the cupcake liners. Take cupcake mixture and fill the cupcake liners about ¾ full.

Bake in the oven. Put cupcake pan in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes of time.

Remove and cool. Take cupcakes out of the oven and let them cool on a cooling rack. Once they are cool, you can add the frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING FOR PUMPKIN CUPCAKES

Its super easy to whip this frosting up:

• Begin by whisking butter in a medium bowl for a few minutes. Then add room temp. cream cheese. Whisk them both well. Then add in vanilla and salt.
• Now with mixer running on low speed, add sifted confectioners' sugar slowly. When it is all mixed in, increase the speed of mixer to medium and beat until the frosting turns light and fluffy.
• Place the frosting in a piping bag and decorate on cooled cupcakes as desired. 

How many calories are in a homemade pumpkin cupcake?

There are about 277 calories in one homemade cupcake. Calories increase/decrease depending on the amount of frosting applied on the cupcakes.

How to make Moist Pumpkin Cupcakes:

• Using oil and brown sugar as opposed to butter and granulated sugar makes them super moist.
• Also take care not to overmix the batter or over bake the cupcakes as both will lead to moisture loss in the finished cupcakes.
• To keep these cupcakes moist and fresh, you need to store them in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge. This will make them wonderful to enjoy for 2-3 days after baking.

CAN THE FROSTING BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?

Absolutely. Once you make the frosting, just store it in the fridge in a container with a lid. Making it a day in advance is a great way to save some time. When ready to frost, quickly whip the frosting once again after taking it out of the fridge and you will be assured a fluffy and smooth frosting on your cupcakes.

Can these cupcakes be frozen?

You can freeze cupcakes but make sure that you freeze them without any frosting added on. You can always make the frosting fresh once you unthaw them when you're ready to eat them.  Allow the cupcakes to cool down completely and then store them in air tight containers or freezer safe bags.

QUICK TIPS FOR MAKING PERFECT CUPCAKES

1. Toothpick Test: Make sure that the cupcakes are done baking by testing the middle of the cupcakes with a toothpick. Once the timer goes off for them to be done baking, insert a toothpick into the middle of the cupcakes. If it comes out clean, they're done and ready to be taken out of the oven.
2. Mix the frosting well because the last thing that anyone wants is to eat a chunk of cream cheese that wasn't mixed well!
3. Top your frosted cupcakes with more cinnamon by sifting it on the frosting. There you have got Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. It tastes wonderful and looks so pretty!

Make ahead tip: Bake your cupcakes one day before and store them in an air tight container at room temperature.

Frosting can also be made a day or two ahead of time. You can store it in an airtight container in refrigerator. Before frosting, give it a quick swirl to make it nice and fluffy again, then frost your cupcakes. 

Substitutes that don't work in this recipe:

1. Cream Cheese Spread: Use cream cheese block and not spread. Cream cheese spread is runny and will thin the frosting down.
2. Pumpkin Pie Filling: Pumpkin puree should be the only ingredient while selecting the puree. Pie filling has so many other ingredients added to it and you don't need any of them for this batter.

MORE CUPCAKE RECIPES FOR YOU

• Easy Pumpkin Bars
• Caramel Apple Cupcakes
• Banana Cupcakes
• Easy Pumpkin Cupcake

If you liked this Cupcake Recipe, give it a star review. Also, tell me in the comments below, how did this turn out for you! And don’t forget to share your creations with me on Instagram at #greedyeatsblog And lets be friends on Pinterest and Facebook too! 🙂

Pumpkin Cupcakes Recipe

This soft, fluffy and easy Pumpkin Cupcakes recipe is perfect for sharing with family and friends.

5 from 14 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

US Customary - Metric

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Cooling Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Servings 12 cupcakes

1x2x3x

Calories: 277kcal

Author: Neha

Equipment

• Hand/stand Mixer
• Cupcake Tray

Ingredients

• ▢ ¾ cup light brown sugar
• ▢ ½ cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
• ▢ 1 tsp baking powder
• ▢ ½ tsp baking soda
• ▢ 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ▢ ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ▢ ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ▢ ⅛ tsp ground Black Pepper (*Check notes on how to sub. these spices with Pumpkin Pie Spice)
• ▢ ¼ tsp salt
• ▢ 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (I use Libby's)

Frosting Ingredients:

• ▢ 8 ounces room temperature cream cheese
• ▢ ½ cup room temperature butter (unsalted)
• ▢ 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ▢ ⅛ tsp salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To make the cupcakes:

• Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add cupcake liners to your pan.
• Add the wet ingredients. Mix together the brown sugar, oil, vanilla, canned pumpkin and eggs. Use a mixer and mix them all together until it is smooth.
• Combine all the mixes. Add dry ingredients- baking powder, baking soda, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, black pepper and salt to wet ingredients and fold to combine.
• Put into the cupcake liners. Take the cupcake mixture and fill the cupcake liners about ¾ full.
• Bake in the oven. Put cupcake pan in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes of time.
• Remove and cool. Take cupcakes out of the oven and let them cool on a cooling rack. Once they are cool, you can add the frosting.

For the frosting:

• Add butter in the bowl of a hand/stand mixer and beat for 2 minutes. Now add in the cream cheese and mix until its well combined, for about 2 more minutes. Add in salt and vanilla too. Now keeping the mixer on low, slowly add confectioners' sugar and allow to mix. Beat till the frosting turns smooth and fluffy.
• Grab a piping bag fitted with your favorite piping bag and use it to frost the cupcakes. Once the cupcakes are covered in frosting, top with pumpkin toppers.

Notes

How to store Cupcakes:

1. Frosted cupcakes stay good for up to a day at room temperature. For a longer storage, keep them in refrigerator. They will last for 3-4 days there.
2. Unfrosted cupcakes freeze well for 2 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator or on the counter before frosting.

Pumpkin Puree: I strongly recommend using canned pumpkin puree in these cupcakes than homemade one. I use Libby's brand and love it. 

Spices: You may skip cloves, nutmeg, ginger black pepper and add ¾ tsp of pumpkin pie spice to your cupcakes. Don't skip cinnamon in this case.

Oil: Instead of using vegetable oil, you may sub it with ½ cup coconut oil. ¼ cup of oil and ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce works too.

Make ahead tip: Bake your cupcakes one day before and store them in an air tight container at room temperature.

Frosting can also be made a day or two ahead of time. You can store it in an airtight container in refrigerator. Before frosting, give it a quick swirl to make it nice and fluffy again, then frost your cupcakes. 

To make Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes: Pour the batter in mini liners and bake them at 350 deg F for 12-14 minutes. You will get about 24 mini cupcakes form this batter.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1Cupcake | Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 112mg | Sugar: 53g

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