Pumpkin Cupcakes

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

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.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Dessert

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings 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