These incredibly delicious pumpkin cupcakes are easy to makerich in pumpkin flavor, topped with our favorite cream cheese frosting. Every time I make these cupcakes, I ask for a recipe, so here is it!
When autumn arrived, my family began asking for these homemade pumpkin cakes (especially around Halloween). I don’t mind because these cupcakes are very simple and incredible to taste. They are truly one of my favorite pumpkin recipes!
The cupcakes are delicious thanks to the plenty of pumpkin puree, spices and brown sugar. We then paired them with homemade cream cheese frosting, which I loved so much that I could eat with a spoon.
Key Ingredients
- pumpkin: I recommend using pure pumpkin puree for these cupcakes. Libby or Whole Food’s 365 is a reliable store buying option. If you can use baked pumpkins, feel free to make your own pumpkin puree. Here is our Pumpkin Pure Recipe.
- spices: I love using pumpkin pie spices! You can use your favorite mixture, homemade ones, or follow the recipe’s recommendations for individual spices (cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg). Here is our Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe.
- Flour, baking powder and baking soda: All-round flour works well in this recipe. We need baking powder and baking soda to help the cake rise.
- butter: Unsalted butter is preferred, but if you only have salty butter, keep using it. Just omit the salt required in the recipe.
- brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar will add a warm toast flavor and perfectly complement the pumpkin spice.
- egg: Two eggs provide structure that helps the cupcake rise and contributes to its tender quality.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: I made frosting from scratch. Very easy! You will whisk cream cheese and butter with powdered sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract and a small amount of milk. Almond extract pairs perfectly with pumpkin pie spices in cupcakes!
How to Make Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
These pumpkin spice cakes are a must for fall! I use an electric hand mixer and a few bowls, but you can always use a stand mixer if you want.
To make them, you will beat the sugar to butter until fluffy, then add the remaining cupcake ingredients. The batsman can complete it in just a few minutes.
You can frosting while baking (this recipe makes 12 cupcakes). Again, it’s easy! Whisk cream cheese and butter, then add powdered sugar, vanilla and my secret ingredient almond extract. I don’t always add almond extract to the cream cheese frosting, but it works great with all the pumpkin pie spices!
When the cupcakes are completely cool, scrub with as much frosting as possible (our recipe is enough, so you can really be generous). That’s it! Hope you try it as soon as possible! If there is some pumpkin puree left, try making our homemade pumpkin spice latte!
Simple pumpkin cupcakes
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My family’s favorite pumpkin cupcake recipe is full of flavor thanks to pumpkin, brown sugar and many spices. These pumpkin spice cakes are really easy to make. Make sure your cupcakes are completely cool before frosting (or the frosting will melt).
Make 12 cupcakes
You will need
For cupcakes
1½ cups (195g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
8 tablespoons (113G) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup (200g) brown sugar, lightly filled
1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup (227g) pure pumpkin puree, try homemade pumpkin puree
Cream cheese frosting
3/4 cup (170g) cream cheese at room temperature
8 tablespoons (113G) unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups (227 grams) powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon of milk or orange juice thin
direction
- Making cakes
1Preheat the oven until 325°F (162°C) and 12 muffin cups lined with paper or foil cake.
2Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
3In a small bowl, stir in cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg.
4Add 2 teaspoons of spice mixture to the flour mixture and stir until combined. Set aside the remaining spices to decorate the cupcake later.
5Add butter, brown sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl. Use a medium speed electric manual mixer to beat the butter and sugar into slices until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
6Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the egg one at a time, and beat at low and medium speed until combined.
7Turn the mixer into a low point. Add half of the puree of the pumpkin and mix at low speed until most of them combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix half of the flour mixture together. Repeat with the remaining pumpkin and flour mixture.
8Fill each muffin cup 3/4. You should have enough 12 cupcakes.
9Bake the pumpkin cupcakes until the toothpick or cake tester is clean when inserted between 20 and 25 minutes. (You can also gently click on the top of the cupcake. If the cake pops up, they can be done, and if indents are left, it will take more time.) Cool the cupcake completely before frosting.
- Frost cake
1In a large bowl, whip cream cheese and butter with a hand mixer until fluffy. Add one-third of the powdered sugar, turn the manual stirrer to low points, and stir until combined. Repeat the other third of the powdered sugar, scrape the bowl off, and repeat the last third.
2Add vanilla extract, almond extract and milk, then use a manual blender on the low spot until the frosting is whipped and fluffy, thus adding more milk to thin it.
3Frost cool the cupcakes and sprinkle some spice mixture on top of each cupcake.
Adam and Joanne’s Tips
- Spice mix: You can substitute for store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spices. You will need 2 teaspoons of cupcake and another teaspoon to decorate the cupcakes.
- Number of frostings: This recipe is enough to generously serve cream cheese frosting. If you spread it out with a knife (like we did in the photo), you will have some leftovers.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
Service size
1 cup cake
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Calories
409
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Total fat
21.4g
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Saturated fat
12.8 grams
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cholesterol
86.4mg
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sodium
167.9mg
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carbohydrate
51.8 grams
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Dietary fiber
1.3 g
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Total sugar
37.3g
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protein
4G
We are Adam and Joanne, a couple who are passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? Inspire you to enter the kitchen and cook fresh and delicious meals confidently.
