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Home » Fall Favorites » Pumpkin Cupcakes

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Published: Nov 15, 2021 by Allison · 27 Comments

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Moist and fluffy pumpkin cupcakes flavored with pumpkin and warm spices topped with an incredible maple cream cheese frosting. All the cozy flavors of fall rolled into one delicious and easy cupcake recipe. Choose from a large or small batch.

Pumpkin cupcake on a wire rack topped with white frosting and caramel.

Today we’re revisiting my favorite pumpkin cupcake recipe. I took some new photos and added an option for a larger batch recipe (choose between 10 or 20 cupcakes). This recipe super easy and not only do the cupcakes bake up perfectly every time, BUT, they’re also topped with BEST maple cream cheese frosting!

Jump to:
  • Recipe overview
  • These pumpkin cupcakes are
  • Recipe tips
  • Ingredient spotlight: maple extract
  • Serving and storage
  • More pumpkin recipes
  • Recipe

Recipe overview

Pumpkin cupcakes: These pumpkin cupcakes bake up soft, moist, and tender. They are perfectly sweet and generously spiced. Combine dry ingredients in one bowl, wet ingredients in another bowl, then combine the two.

Step by step collage how to make pumpkin cupcakes: orange cupcake batter in a metal bowl.

Bake: Scoop the batter into lined muffin cups and bake for around 20 minutes.

Maple cream cheese frosting: This frosting is so delicious! A combination of cream cheese, butter, maple syrup, maple extract, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Smooth and creamy with an incredible maple flavor. This frosting is a bit softer than a traditional frosting, due to the addition of maple syrup. It is still firm enough to pipe onto the cupcakes (as pictured), but you can also simply spread it onto the cupcakes with a butter knife.

Maple cream cheese frosting in a glass bowl.

These pumpkin cupcakes are

Ultra soft and moist: Thanks to a combination of pumpkin puree and vegetable oil, these cupcakes stay moist for days. 

Fall flavored: Just the right amount of spices paired with pumpkin and maple. Warm and cozy flavors in every bite!

Simple and quick: The cupcake batter comes together in minutes. You don’t even need an electric mixer.

A crowd pleaser: These pumpkin cupcakes always receive rave reviews. Bake a batch and watch them disappear.

Pumpkin cupcake topped with frosting and caramel with a bite taken out of it.

Recipe tips

  • Don’t overmix the batter.
  • Use pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling.
  • Use an ice cream scoop to add batter to muffin cups.
  • Make sure cream cheese and butter (for the frosting) are at room temperature so they blend easily.
  • Garnish with salted caramel, chopped nuts, sprinkles, toffee bits, or a dusting of cinnamon.

Ingredient spotlight: maple extract

In order to get a prominent maple flavor in the frosting this recipe uses maple extract. This adds a much stronger, more intense flavor than maple syrup alone. A little goes a long way, you only need ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon depending on the size of the recipe that you choose. If you’d prefer to skip the maple extract you can add a little extra vanilla extract. The frosting will still be delicious.

Closeup of pumpkin cupcake on a wire rack topped with caramel sauce.

Serving and storage

The cupcakes can be served chilled or at room temperature..

Store cupcakes in the refrigerator and serve chilled or at room temperature. Note: this frosting is on the softer side so it holds up better if it’s refrigerated.

More pumpkin recipes

  • PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BARS
  • PUMPKIN BARS
  • PUMPKIN MUFFINS 
  • PUMPKIN CARROT CAKE 
  • HEALTHY PUMPKIN BREAD 
  • PUMPKIN PIE BARS 
  • PUMPKIN PUDDING CAKE

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Recipe

Pumpkin cupcake on a wire rack topped with white frosting and caramel.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Moist and fluffy pumpkin cupcakes flavored with pumpkin and warm spices topped with an incredible maple cream cheese frosting. All the cozy flavors of fall rolled into one delicious and easy cupcake recipe. Choose from a large or small batch.
5 from 15 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Dessert
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 10 see notes for larger quantity
Calories: 344kcal
Author: Allison – Celebrating Sweets

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, or sub cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
  • ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
  • ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Frosting:

  • 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1½ tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon maple extract
  • 2½ cups powdered sugar (sifted, if lumpy), plus more, if needed
  • salted caramel sauce, optional, for decorating

Instructions

Cupcakes:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Fill a muffin tin with 10 liners.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pie spice and salt.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, sugars, oil, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk until almost fully combined. Switch to a rubber spatula and mix the batter fully, being careful not to overmix.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the 10 muffin cups and bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in a pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then carefully remove the cupcakes and place directly on the rack to cool completely.

Frosting;

  • Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and combined. Add maple syrup, extracts, and a pinch of salt, beating until combined and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add in powdered sugar one cup at a time. If the frosting seems too soft you can refrigerate it for 30 minutes or add a little more powdered sugar. Note: it is on the softer side since it is a cream cheese frosting. Frost the cupcakes using a piping bag and decorating tip (I used a large open star tip), or simply spread the frosting with a butter knife. Drizzle with caramel sauce, if desired. 

Video

Notes

Serving and storage
Store cupcakes in the refrigerator and serve chilled or at room temperature. Note: this frosting is on the softer side so it holds up better if it’s refrigerated.
Larger recipe (20 cupcakes)
Cupcakes:
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • One 15-oz can pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Frosting:
  • 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon maple extract
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
 

Nutrition

Calories: 344kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 245mg | Potassium: 165mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 4200IU | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1.4mg

Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!

Cupcakes and frosting adapted from Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust

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Comments

  1. Brandy @ Nutmeg Nanny

    October 02, 2018 at 4:54 pm

    Loving the maple cream cheese frosting on these cupcakes!

    Reply
  2. Lorena Hooper

    November 18, 2018 at 1:43 pm

    5 stars
    These came out Super moist, and delicious! Perfection!

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      November 18, 2018 at 5:46 pm

      Glad to hear that! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Teri

    September 21, 2019 at 2:12 pm

    5 stars
    I made these last week for my fall Bunco get together and they were a big hit!

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      September 22, 2019 at 2:12 pm

      Awesome! Thank you!

      Reply
  4. Taylor Wright

    September 28, 2019 at 1:03 pm

    5 stars
    I made these, and doubled the recipe because it was for a lot of people. They were excellent. They were good even without frosting.

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      September 30, 2019 at 11:50 am

      I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Sheryl Chiaramonte

    October 22, 2019 at 7:46 am

    We must be soul buds, I believe just about everything is made better by adding nuts! Making these today sans nuts, however as having to make a lot and pleasing a big group. There will be chopped pecans in two of them:)

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      October 22, 2019 at 10:00 am

      Enjoy, Sheryl! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Victoria

    October 29, 2020 at 8:41 am

    Hi your video shows 3 eggs but the written instructions say 2. Can you let me know which to use? Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Allison

      October 29, 2020 at 9:05 am

      Hi, Victoria. Good question. I find that most people use “large eggs”. If using large or extra large eggs TWO eggs is correct. If your eggs are small you can bump it up to three. Thanks for checking. Sorry for the confusion.

      Reply
  7. Sandy

    April 20, 2021 at 7:14 am

    5 stars
    Yum! I am a 11 year old and last year close to halloween I decided to try making these . . . My whole family loved them! Then on the day of the super bowl I tried making the small batch chocolate cupcakes and used this frosting (with the maple) and they tasted great! I have also tried many of your other recipes and they never disappoint!

    Reply
    • Allison

      April 20, 2021 at 8:57 am

      Thanks for the kind review. I’m so happy to hear that you’re in the kitchen baking! Great job! Keep it up. 🙂

      Reply
  8. Linda

    October 13, 2021 at 1:07 pm

    5 stars
    These cupcakes were amazingly good! I used 2 1/4 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice and a 1/4 of cinnamon – a very rich flavor! Everyone loved them!

    Reply
    • Allison

      October 14, 2021 at 10:16 am

      I’m so glad! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

      Reply
  9. Darah

    September 28, 2022 at 1:04 pm

    5 stars
    So delicious the flavor & texture is perfect! I was pressed for time so I used Betty Crocker Cream Cheese frosting and still turned out great but am excited to try the frosting recipe next time!

    Reply
    • Allison

      October 01, 2022 at 7:35 am

      I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂

      Reply
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aboutHi, I'm Allison! I'm a busy wife and mom with a passion for cooking and baking. This is where you'll find my favorite homemade recipes, designed to help you make every day delicious! Read more....

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