How to make pumpkin spice cupcakes

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes – Light and tender pumpkin cupcakes with a rich and sweet maple cream cheese frosting. Easy to make and full of delicious pumpkin flavor. This pumpkin cupcake recipe makes the perfect fall dessert!

I love to bake all kinds of easy pumpkin recipes. These pumpkin spice cupcakes are so simple to make, as well as pumpkin bars, pumpkin dump cake, pumpkin streusel coffee cake and pumpkin blondies.

By Alicia of The Baker Upstairs for I Heart Naptime.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Who else is excited for fall? As soon as I send the kids back to school, I start dreaming about crisp autumn days, warm hot chocolate, fuzzy sweaters, and pumpkin everything! These pumpkin spice cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting are the perfect fall dessert. They’re easy to make (you don’t even need a mixer!) and are full of delicious pumpkin flavor.

The pumpkin makes these cupcakes super moist and tender and the sweet maple cream cheese frosting is the perfect complement to the subtle spice of the pumpkin cupcakes. My kids were happy to get in the kitchen and help me make these and I love that the recipe is simple enough that they can help! I think their favorite part was definitely sampling the frosting, but they both really enjoyed the cupcakes as well. 🙂

How to make pumpkin spice cupcakes

These pumpkin spice cupcakes are super easy and can be whipped up in no time. Just follow the simple steps below to get started. Scroll down for the printable pumpkin cupcake recipe.

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare 12 muffin cups by lining with paper liners.
2. Whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, sugar, canola oil, and eggs, and mix until well blended. Mix in the flour mixture until combined. Scoop into prepared muffin tin, filling 1/2 – 2/3 full.
4. Bake pumpkin muffins 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove and let cool on a rack.
5. For the frosting, beat together the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar slowly and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and maple extract. If necessary, add more powdered sugar until the frosting is firm enough to hold its shape but still light and fluffy. Frost the cooled pumpkin spice cupcakes and enjoy!

Pumpkin Cupcakes bursting with warm Autumn spices, tangy cream cheese frosting adds just enough sweetness and creaminess to enhance the pumpkin spice flavor. These are a perfect classic Fall recipe for both Halloween and Thanksgiving. You’re sure to be the toast of the town if you show up to your next gathering with a tray full of these beauties.

Whenever candy corn and mellowcreme pumpkins start to fill the candy aisle in preparation for Halloween, that’s my cue for making these super moist and soft pumpkin spice cupcakes. These cupcakes are made with real pumpkin puree and are full of cozy warm Autumn spices.

This pumpkin cupcake recipe is a classic Fall dessert and has been my go-to for many years. It is subtle, yet perfect for a Halloween party decorated with a mellowcreme pumpkin on top and also works well as an easy and delicious dessert for a Thanksgiving potluck.

How to make Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

The batter for these easy pumpkin cupcakes can be whipped up quickly with just a mixing bowl, and a whisk. It is actually preferred to use a hand whisk rather than an electric mixer as gentle mixing is needed for a more tender cake.

Pumpkin Cupcakes Process Photos Step 1 – 4

1. Add the wet ingredients to a medium mixing bowl.
2. Beat with a whisk until smooth.
3. Mix all the dry ingredients in a small mixing bowl and add to the wet ingredients.
4. Gently mix until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
5. Use a large ice cream scoop to divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups.

Pumpkin Cupcakes Process Photo Step 5

A few notes for substitutions

Spices

Instead of using store bought pumpkin pie spice, you can mix your own using this pumpkin pie spice recipe. Or you can just use a mix of warm spices you have in your pantry such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cloves.

Since the recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, plus 1 teaspoon total for the rest of the spices that you have (a mix of nutmeg, ginger allspice, cloves).

Oil vs. Butter

Any flavorless oil will work in this recipe such as vegetable oil and canola oil. Though in a pinch, you could use olive oil if that’s all you have, it will impart a stronger flavor but you may not even notice it underneath all the spices.

Butter can be substituted for oil, melt it down, let it cool and use per the recipe instructions. However, butter has less fat content than oil so substituting in the same ratio may yield slightly dryer cupcakes. I would use slightly more butter in this case, about 7 tablespoons.

Canned pumpkin vs. homemade

Using canned pumpkin puree is the quickest way to get these easy pumpkin cupcakes whipped up. Make sure to use pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. The pumpkin pie filling already has added sugar, spices, and other ingredients.

Homemade pumpkin puree will also work in this recipe if you are already roasting pumpkin for a pumpkin pie or making a large batch of pumpkin pancakes. However, since this recipe only calls for ½ cup of pumpkin puree, using store bought canned pumpkin will save you some extra work.

Can I make these into mini cupcakes?

Yes, this recipe will make 24 – 28 mini cupcakes. Bake them at the same oven temperature for 12-13 minutes.

What frosting to use for pumpkin cupcakes?

My preferred frosting is a tangy and not too sweet cream cheese frosting. You can even add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the frosting to spice it up a little further, though I prefer the classic version like in these Red Velvet Cupcakes.

You can also use a buttercream frosting if you prefer something not too tangy. I like this not too sweet Swiss Meringue buttercream frosting because it is super creamy and holds up really well at room temperature.

More pumpkin recipes you’ll love

• For more easy Halloween treats, try these Peanut Butter Pumpkin Cookies.
• For another Thanksgiving potluck appropriate dessert, try these Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies.
• If you want pumpkin for breakfast, make these Pumpkin Muffins. They’re just like pumpkin spice cupcakes without the cream cheese frosting.
• And don’t forget the pups, they deserve some Pumpkin Dog Treats to celebrate Fall with you.

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, send me a photo, rate it and don’t forget to tag me @wildwildwhisk on Instagram. I’d love to see what’s cooking up in your kitchen. Cheers!

These pumpkin cupcakes are simple and perfect for fall! While I make so many different fall cupcakes, these pumpkin spice cupcakes really are a great cupcake for Thanksgiving, Halloween, or any crisp autumn day.

These cupcakes are super moist and have a great pumpkin spice flavor. I love to frost them with apple butter caramel icing (pictured above), pumpkin pie frosting, or cream cheese frosting.

Tips for Making the Best Pumpkin Cupcakes

• You can use either canned or homemade pumpkin puree. (If you make your own, be sure to save the pumpkin seeds to make toasted pumpkin seeds!) If you use canned pumpkin puree, make sure to buy the can that says pumpkin puree or pureed pumpkin. Do not buy pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and will ruin these cupcakes.
• In addition to the typical pumpkin cupcake ingredients, I like to use dark rum and maple syrup in them. The rum and maple enhance the fall flavors. If you would prefer to not use the rum, you can replace it with apple cider.
• Every good pumpkin cupcake needs pumpkin pie spice! You can buy pumpkin pie spice pre-made or you can make your own mix using:
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• While most people frost cupcakes made with pumpkin using cream cheese frosting, I like to use apple butter caramel icing or pumpkin frosting on mine! (I have more about frosting these pumpkin cupcakes below.)

How to Make Pumpkin Cupcakes

(If you’ve never made any cupcakes before, refer to my how to make cupcakes guide for lots of tips and tricks to help you make perfect cupcakes!)

To make pumpkin spice cupcakes, start by whisking together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, pumpkin, and eggs. Beat until smooth.

Mix in the oil, rum, and maple syrup.

Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until fully incorporated.

Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full.

Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes. You’ll know that cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out dry.

Frosting

One of my favorite ways to frost pumpkin cupcakes is with pumpkin frosting made from pumpkin pie.

You actually bake a pumpkin pie without the crust (or buy a pumpkin pie from the store and remove the crust) and pipe the pie directly on top of the cupcake!

Amazingly, pumpkin pie has the perfect texture for a pipeable frosting.

To pipe the frosting, I suggest using a Wilton 1A star tip. This tip makes the perfect swirl.

If you don’t want to make or buy pumpkin pie to frost your pumpkin cupcakes with, apple butter caramel icing goes fabulously with pumpkin cupcakes.

The combination of two of fall’s best flavors (apple and pumpkin) works really well!

You could always pick a classic like cream cheese frosting, vanilla frosting or chocolate frosting, or pick any one of my many frosting recipes that you think would go best. You really can’t go wrong!

Pumpkin Cupcake Variations

You can make this exact pumpkin cupcake recipe as a pumpkin Bundt cake and it comes out amazing!

You can also convert these to mini cupcakes. You will end up with about twice as many cupcakes, and the bake time should be reduced to about 12 minutes. Always use a cake tester or toothpick to test for doneness!

Other Pumpkin Desserts

If you are looking for a lighter pumpkin dessert. Try my pumpkin chiffon cake. It’s airy like angel food.

You can always make a pumpkin pie, but I like to make a chocolate pumpkin pie because everything is better with chocolate.

You may also want to try the triple chocolate pumpkin cake from A Dash of Sanity! It sounds incredible!

These Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes are perfect for Fall and Thanksgiving! They’re loaded with pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and topped off with a pumpkin spice buttercream frosting!

Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes

This Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes recipe is easy to make and can be whipped up in just a bowl.

The recipe can easily be doubled if you’re looking to make more cupcakes, and can also be made dairy-free by using a dairy-free butter in the frosting if needed. If you need some more cupcakes to make sure to check out these Triple Chocolate Cupcakes and these Carrot Cake Cupcakes next!

These cupcakes are made with a mix of gluten-free flour and One Degree Organics Sprouted Rolled Oats which have more nutrients in them and are easier to digest than regular oats. (Plus they’re gluten-free!) The oats give these cupcakes a nice chewy texture.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• These cupcakes are the perfect dessert for your holiday dinner and are great to bring to a potluck!
• This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free
• These cupcakes taste just like a delicious pumpkin spice latte and are filled with both pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice!

Ingredients used in Pumpkin Cupcakes

The ingredients used in these cupcakes are simple and can be found in most grocery stores. There are also swaps you can make to suit your dietary needs.

• 1-1 gluten-free flour blend (make sure to use a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum)
• Sprouted Rolled Oats
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Pumpkin pie spice (you can always make your own)
• 2 flax eggs
• vegetable oil (can sub melted coconut oil)
• pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!)
• almond milk (can sub any type of milk you like)
• Non-dairy butter
• powdered sugar
• vanilla

How to make Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Mix all the wet ingredients together in a bowl.
3. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until no clumps remain.
4. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Should you refrigerate these cupcakes?

Cupcakes can be left covered on the counter for a day, and then should be placed in the fridge. These cupcakes will last well in the fridge for 4-5 days.

If you have any leftover buttercream frosting, you can store the leftover frosting in the freezer to use the next time you make cupcakes!

by Debra · Published September 14, 2016 · Updated January 1, 2020

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I made pumpkin puree from our garden pumpkins to mix up a batch of these delicious pumpkin spice cupcakes. This recipe has amazing cinnamon/sugar topping, so you don’t even have to frost them if you don’t want to! They are so easy to make (they start with a cake mix!), and are moist and fluffy! Trust me, my friend. Your family is going to love them! (I even have a printable recipe card for you at the end of the post!) ‘Tis the season for cooking with your garden produce, right?

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Pumpkin Spice Cupcake Ingredients

1 package yellow cake mix
1/4 c brown sugar
2 cups pureed pumpkin
1/4 c milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Also set aside for topping: a mixture of 1/2 c cinnamon and 1/2 c granulated sugar (EDIT: I put this mixture in a sprinkling container to sprinkle it on top of the cupcakes. I use the leftover mixture for on toast, banana bread, etc…just keep it in the spice cupboard!)

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Put all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Mix well with a hand mixer. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with the mixture.
Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture on top. Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees for about 11 minutes. They are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

• 1 package yellow cake mix
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 2 cups pureed pumpkin
• 1/4 c milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• Also set aside for topping: a mixture of 1/2 c cinnamon and 1/2 c granulated sugar

Put all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Mix well with a hand mixer. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with the mixture.

Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture on top of the cupcake mixture. Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees for about 11 minutes. They are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

You don’t even need to frost the pumpkin spice cupcakes. The cinnamon and sugar sprinkle on top makes them plenty sweet!

Loaded with toasty fall flavors, a batch of these easy PSL cupcakes will have you in sweater weather mode faster than hitting the Starbucks drive-thru.

Ingredients

CUPCAKES

• 1 (16.25-oz.) pkg. spice cake mix
• 1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin puree
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature

FROSTING

• 1 cup (8 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 (16-oz.) pkg. powdered sugar (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• Pinch of salt
• Caramel sauce (optional)
• Pumpkin pie spice (optional)

How to Make It

Prepare the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place cupcake liners in 24 muffin cups. Whisk together cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, oil, and coffee in a large bowl until fully combined. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about 1/4 cup per cup).

Bake in preheated oven until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs, about 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack until completely cooled, about 30 minutes.

Prepare the Frosting: Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy and lightened in color, about 3 minutes. With mixer running on low speed, slowly add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until fully combined. Slowly drizzle in whipping cream, and beat until frosting is smooth and fluffy. Add salt, and beat 1 minute. Fill a piping bag with buttercream, and pipe onto cupcakes. Drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice, if desired.

How to make tender and moist pumpkin cupcakes with a simple cream cheese frosting. These perfectly spiced pumpkin cupcakes are hard to beat. Jump to the Pumpkin Cupcakes Recipe or read on to see our tips for making them.

How to Make Pumpkin Cupcakes from Scratch

We love these simple, fall inspired cupcakes. They are packed with flavor thanks to pumpkin puree, brown sugar, butter and lots of warm spices like cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. You can used canned pumpkin puree or try making your own. Here’s our tutorial for making homemade pumpkin puree, if you want to give it a try.

The moment these cupcakes cool after baking we slather perfectly smooth cream cheese frosting on top and sprinkle with even more spices. You will love them! Everyone we have served these to, has loved them. Adam’s family has even requested them on multiple occasions 😊

As I’ve already mentioned, these cupcakes are so simple to make. All you need is a hand blender and a couple of bowls and you are on your way to making them at home.

To make the cupcake batter, whisk or sift dry ingredients together — we use flour, baking powder, baking soda and a mixture of warm fall spices. We make our own spice blend, but you can swap it out for your favorite store-bought pumpkin spice blend.

Next, we beat butter with brown sugar, vanilla, eggs, and a whole cup of pumpkin puree. That cup of puree goes a long way to making these cupcakes flavorful and moist inside.

To finish the batter, gently combine the dry ingredients with the pumpkin mixture and you are ready to bake. When they are baked and cooled, we add a simple cream cheese frosting on top. You will love it!

More Pumpkin Recipes

• Easy Pumpkin Mac and Cheese — How to make extra creamy pumpkin mac and cheese in under 1 hour. The perfect Fall dinner!
• Homemade Pumpkin Pancakes — We love these pumpkin pancakes: not too sweet with a hint of spice.
• Homemade (and easy) Pumpkin Pie — How to make classic, unfussy pumpkin pie from scratch. This is our favorite way to make pumpkin pie. It’s easy, too!
• Pumpkin Scones — How to make the best spiced pumpkin scones inspired by Starbucks.
• Chocolate Orange Pumpkin Bread — This quick bread has pumpkin, orange, and is packed with chopped chocolate. Not too sweet, extremely moist and perfect for fall!
  Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte — How to make the best pumpkin spice latte at home with pumpkin puree, coffee, milk, and fall spices. Better than store-bought!

For more cupcake recipes, check out our Double Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes and our Easy Apple Pie Cupcakes Recipe.

Recipe updated, originally posted November 2012. Since posting this in 2012, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear. – Adam and Joanne

Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes from Scratch

• PREP 15mins
• COOK 25mins
• TOTAL 40mins

For extra flavor, we add lots of spices to this pumpkin cupcake batter. You can use homemade pumpkin puree for this or buy it from the store. When you look for pumpkin puree, don’t use “pumpkin pie mix” (usually a larger can) and instead buy the can that is “pure pumpkin puree”.

The frosting recipe below makes enough for piping the frosting onto the cupcakes (this usually requires a little more frosting). If you do what we did, which was to spread frosting on top of the cupcakes with a knife, you may have some frosting left over.

You Will Need

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

8 tablespoons (115 grams or 1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) lightly packed brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup packed pure pumpkin puree, see our homemade pumpkin puree recipe

Cream Cheese Frosting

6 ounces (170 grams) cream cheese at room temperature

8 tablespoons (115 grams or 1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature

2 cups (130 grams) powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 tablespoon milk or orange juice to thin frosting

Directions

• Make Batter

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 12 regular size muffin cups with paper or foil cupcake liners.

In a small bowl, stir the cinnamon, cloves, ground ginger and nutmeg together.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 2 teaspoons of the spice mix into a medium bowl. Whisk until blended. (Leftover spice mix will be used later to decorate the frosted cupcakes.)

In a large bowl, use a hand blender on medium speed to beat the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the side and bottom of the bowl then add the eggs, one at time, on medium-low speed until incorporated.

Turn the mixer to low and beat in the vanilla and half of the pumpkin puree. With the mixer still on low, beat in half of the flour mixture until incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then beat in the rest of the pumpkin puree and finally the remaining flour mixture.

Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full – the batter should be just enough for 12 cupcakes.

Bake cupcakes until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the middle of a cupcake, 20 to 25 minutes. (Another test is to lightly tap the top of a cupcake. If the cupcake springs back, they are done, if an indent remains, they need a little more time.) Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.

In a large bowl, use a hand blender to beat cream cheese and the butter until fluffy. Add a third of the powdered sugar, turn the hand blender to low and beat until incorporated. Repeat with another third of powdered sugar, scrap the bowl down then repeat with the final third.

Add the vanilla extract, almond extract and the milk then use the hand blender on low until frosting is whipped and fluffy, adding more milk to thin out. Frost cooled cupcakes then sprinkle a little of the spice mix from earlier on top of each cupcake.

Adam and Joanne’s Tips

• Nutrition Facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.

If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here .

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes are the quintessential fall dessert everyone needs! My recipe makes this a simple but delicious treat you will love.

Hiding healthy fruits or veggies in dessert is one of my favorite things! Alongside these cupcakes, I absolutely love our homemade Carrot Cake Recipe and know you will as well!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here .

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

These amazing Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes are so irresistibly fluffy and moist. The whipped cream cheese frosting is truly the icing on the cake. Pun intended!

Thank you, Wilton! A big shout out to Wilton for providing all the necessary equipment to create this stunner autumn themed dessert.

Ever since I began my journey into the world of baking, Wilton has always been my favorite brand. Whether it be something as simple as piping bags or something more extravagant like their Tilt-N-Turn ULTRA Cake Turntable. Their stellar baking products have been a lifesaver; especially when I had to bake 9 cakes in one day for an event a few years ago.

Check Out Fall baking Ideas:

Wilton has an incredible line of products perfect for your Autumn Themed Baking adventures.

Tips to Make the Perfect Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

• Don’t over mix the batter. Over mixing will cause the cupcakes to become dense, and lose that fluffy texture.
• Use a scoop to measure out the ingredients. Eyeballing it can run the risk of some cupcake baking faster or slower due to uneven distribution.
• Bake on the center rack in the oven. When the cupcakes are in the middle of the oven they bake more evenly.

How to Make the Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting

• Use room temperature ingredients since this will help ensure a smooth and even frosting.
• Add the powdered sugar a little at a time. I like to do it in 3 separate parts.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Eggs
Granulated Sugar
Pumpkin Puree
Heavy Whipping Cream
Butter
Pumpkin Spice
Cinnamon
Salt
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
All-Purpose Flour
Cream Cheese
Vanilla Extract
Powdered Sugar
Red, Yellow, and Orange Candy Melts
Small Leaves

Tools used in this recipe:

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Prepare your cupcake batter as directed in the printable recipe below being careful to add in dry ingredients gently so as not to create tough cupcakes. Line cupcake tins and fill each with a large scoop of batter before baking for around 25 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool before icing with the cream cheese frosting recipe.

How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting

While the cupcakes are baking, prepare your cream cheese frosting using ingredients as directed below in the printable recipe. Using a 2D Wilton piping tip, pipe the frosting onto each cooled cupcake in a circular motion. Then sprinkle with your favorite sprinkles. I used these Autumn Sugar sprinkles.

How to Make Fall Candy Leaves

Following the directions as listed in the printable recipe below, heat your Candy Melts in the microwave until ready to pipe. Fill 3 Wilton piping bags with each color of candy melts and pipe out scattered dots of melted candy into a Wilton Candy Melting Pot.

Follow the directions given for swirling the candy melts and placing the leaves in the candy to create a fall leave look. Once hardened the leaves are easy to remove before placing on your cupcakes.

More Pumpkin Spice Recipes

If you are looking for more amazing pumpkin flavored recipes, make sure to check out our recipes linked below!

PUMPKIN CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING are so moist and loaded with pumpkin spice! I topped them off with a big scoop of cream cheese frosting for the perfect fall touch.

I’m back. With the pumpkin. Because of course.

I mean, I KNOW you’re not mad about it. Unless you’re one of those sad souls that dislikes pumpkin, in which case you probably already know to avoid this site for the duration of August, September, and October anyway. 😉

I just can’t help myself with all the pumpkin goodness. I love pumpkin and these pumpkin spice cupcakes are so unbelievably moist. That big thick dollop of cream cheese frosting is the literal icing on the cake.

How to make pumpkin spice cupcakes:

Pumpkin cupcakes are quite simple to make from scratch!

Whisk together your dry ingredients: flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a larger bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and a couple of eggs until smooth.

Stir in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Spoon your batter evenly between 12 lined muffin wells. They should be about 2/3 of the way full.

Bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.

These pumpkin cupcakes are LOADED with pumpkin puree, which makes them extra moist and gives them a more dense texture than a traditional cupcake. We love the dense crumb and texture of these cupcakes, but if you are not into that, these may not be the cupcakes for you.

What frosting for pumpkin cupcakes:

Cream cheese frosting is the perfect balance of tangy goodness for those sweet pumpkin spice cupcakes.

My cream cheese frosting is very simple to make.

Just add cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.

You can pipe the frosting over your cupcakes if you like, but I’m a big sucker for the simple approach.

I used a cookie scoop (affiliate link) to drop big dollops of frosting right over the top of the cooled cupcakes. Simple and adorable!

Do pumpkin cupcakes need to be refrigerated?

These cupcakes should be stored in the refrigerator.

Tightly cover the container and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

More pumpkin recipes:

White Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies: Super soft and loaded with white chocolate chips.

Pumpkin Pie Dip: Perfect for dipping graham crackers or Nilla wafers!

Pumpkin Dream Cake: Love the technique for achieving super moist cake here!

Pumpkin Muffins: These have a surprise cream cheese filling.

Tips for Christmas

Why Do We Celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25?

What Does the Name ‘Christmas’ Mean and What Is the Meaning of Christmas?

How Can We Celebrate Christmas?

Ingredients (13)

• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil, plus more as needed
• 4 large eggs
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée (not pie filling; about 1 3/4 cups)
• 1 recipe Pumpkin–Cream Cheese Frosting (optional; see recipe intro)

• Calories 261
• Fat 10.31g
• Saturated fat 0.96g
• Trans fat 0.07g
• Carbs 40.23g
• Fiber 1.36g
• Sugar 24.58g
• Protein 3.39g
• Cholesterol 31.0mg
• Sodium 119.05mg
• Nutritional Analysis per serving (24 servings)Powered by

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Pumpkin cupcakes are a great fall or holiday dessert, as they have all the flavors of traditional pumpkin bread but in a lighter, cuter, portable form. To make them, whisk together the dry ingredients, then combine that with a mixture of eggs, oil, sugar, and pumpkin in a stand mixer. After about 25 minutes of baking and a chance to cool, top them with this Pumpkin–Cream Cheese Frosting for a double dose of pumpkin flavor.

Game plan: You can also use this batter to make a Bundt cake with salted caramel sauce.

This recipe was featured as part of our pumpkin sweets recipe gallery. Check out all the best of pumpkins on Chowhound.

September 29, 2015 by Julie 59 Comments

These pumpkin spice cake mix cupcakes are made with only two ingredients and come together in no time at all. Top them with sweet cinnamon buttercream icing for the perfect autumn treat!

Let’s take a little trip down memory lane, shall we? Back in the early days of the blog, I blogged about pumpkin spice cookies a lot. I shared a popular internet recipe for pumpkin spice cookies (does anyone know where it actually originated?) when I was about one month into blogging and have made countless batches of the cookies since. They are Ryan’s all-time favorite cookie (he’s clearly easy to please), so when fall rolls around, we make them nearly every single weekend. I wish I was lying.

Recently, Ryan attended a teambuilding cookout with several of his coworkers on a Friday afternoon. He arrived home and immediately told me that someone at the cookout made his favorite pumpkin spice cookies into cupcakes. I was surprised, but more surprised that we’d never thought to make the cookies into cupcakes in the 6+ years we’ve been making them! Ryan swore the density and taste was exactly the same, so I figured why not take the exact cookie recipe and put the dough into cupcake liners and give it ago?

As it turns out the two-ingredient pumpkin spice cookie recipe also works well as muffins (just leave off the icing in the recipe below) and cupcakes! And I’d venture to guess you could make a pumpkin spice loaf out of the recipe as well if you cook everything a bit longer. So versatile and so darn easy!

I topped our cupcakes with a simple homemade sweet cinnamon buttercream icing because everything is better with buttercream.

Please don’t skip this step because the cinnamon buttercream icing totally took the cupcakes up a notch. Ryan may or may not have caught me squeezing icing out of the decorating bag right into my mouth. I am not even kind of ashamed because I swear you’ll do the same thing, too, if you whip up a batch in your kitchen. (And please don’t laugh too hard at my sorry attempt at decorating these cupcakes with “pretty” icing. Pinterest, please teach me your ways.)

Pumpkin Spice Cake Mix Cupcakes

Pumpkin Spice Cake Mix Cupcakes (with Cinnamon Buttercream)

• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 25 mins
• Yield: 12 cupcakes

Description

These pumpkin spice cake mix cupcakes are made with only two ingredients and come together in no time at all. Top them with sweet cinnamon buttercream icing for the perfect autumn treat!

Ingredients

• 1 box spice cake mix
• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with muffin liners.
2. Stir spice cake mix and pumpkin together until a thick batter emerges and the spice cake mix is completely mixed into the pumpkin.
3. Spoon batter into muffin tins and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean.
4. Allow to cool and top with cinnamon buttercream icing (recipe below).

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Cinnamon Buttercream Icing

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat softened butter until creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar, a little bit at a time.
2. Add milk and vanilla extract and continue to mix. Add cinnamon and mix until fully incorporated into the icing.
3. Enjoy!

(Note: You may want to double the buttercream recipe if you like a larger icing-to-cupcake ratio like me!)

Oh and don’t feel bad if you can’t stop eating these cupcakes. I made them at our house on Sunday afternoon and they’re already gone. Can’t stop, won’t stop!

And here’s a quick recipe video so you guys can see for yourself just how easy this recipe is to make for your next festive fall party!

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When it comes to fall flavor, these light and fluffy Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting don’t mess around. Or if they do, they’re very discreet.

Fall is my favorite season… well, next to summer. Not just because it’s finally the season for all of the Pumpkin Spice Latte memes, but also because everything starts to get a little spooky. Whether you’re waiting until October to make all your pumpkin-flavored everything for Halloween or you’re starting now, these easy pumpkin spice cupcakes should make your fall baking list.

And, if you need a little more inspiration, head over to Cake Over Steak’s Virtual Pumpkin Party for dozens more pumpkin recipes!

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Sometimes — ahem, Starbucks, ahem — when companies make pumpkin spiced things, they’re pretty sweet. So sweet that you miss out on any flavors other than sugar. And, it’s not that I don’t love sugar, but when I made this recipe for pumpkin cupcakes, I wanted to make sure you could really taste all of the different spices and the pumpkin flavor.

That said, while too little pumpkin spice is bad, no one wants to feel like they’re taking the cinnamon challenge eating a cupcake. Or, possibly, ever.

So, here’s how to make the best pumpkin spice cupcakes that have cinnamon, vanilla, brown sugar, and pumpkin… that, essentially, taste like a cake version of pumpkin pie.

1. First, preheat your oven to 350°F and line your muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
2. Then, cream brown sugar, sugar, and butter together in large bowl and mix them for 3 minutes on medium-high speed.
3. While your mixer is blending these ingredients, combine your spices. Place cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and pumpkin pie spice in small bowl and stir together. If you’re used to tasting dry spices, go for it and adjust the ratios to fit your palate. If you are not a weirdo like us, then simply use the amounts indicated below.
4. Then, combine the rest of your dry ingredients (the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) in a medium bowl. Add the spice mix and whisk to combine.
5. Add the two large eggs one at a time to the butter mixture. Let the mixer do its magic on the first egg for 30 seconds before you add the second one.
6. Add the pumpkin puree, followed by the vanilla extract. Mix until these are fully combined.
7. Turn the mixer down to low speed and add half of the flour mixture. If you do this on high speed, you’ll get flour all over you and and kitchen. Which is delicious… but not conducive to actually making cupcakes.
8. Let the ingredients mix until just combined. Beating them too much will lead to stiff cupcakes.
9. Add half of the sour cream. Add the remaining flour mixture, let it combine with the rest of the ingredients as before, and then add the rest of the sour cream.
10. Fill the cupcakes liners in your prepared muffin tin with pumpkin batter using a size 12 ice cream scoop or a 1/4-cup measure.
11. Bake the pumpkin spice cupcakes for 20-25 minutes or until tops bounce back when pressed lightly or when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
12. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and place the tin on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.
13. Remove the cupcakes from the muffin tin and let them cool completely and reach room temperature before adding the cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

How to Make Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

To take these pumpkin spice cupcakes to the next level, you’ve got to add the the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. It adds a touch of heat, and really helps these cupcakes epitomize the feeling of fall.

If you’ve ever struggled with making cream cheese frosting, here’s how to make sure it doesn’t get runny on you: Add the sugar last, and don’t overdo it.

I used to think that adding more powdered sugar would solve the problem. Nope. It just dissolves and makes the frosting even runnier.

To make the cream cheese frosting with the perfect consistency, place your mixing bowl in the fridge for ten minutes. While it’s cooling, combine the confectioner’s sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Then, place your cold butter in the cold mixing bowl and then mix it using your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 30 seconds on medium high. Add the cold cream cheese and beat it for 90 seconds on medium high. Add the vanilla extract and sour cream and beat it for 30 seconds.

Finally, add the confectioner’s sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon mixture and beat it for 10 seconds on low to allow the ingredients to come together, then turn the speed up to high and beat it for 80-90 seconds. Transfer the cinnamon cream cheese frosting to a piping bag and decorate your pumpkin cupcakes.

Want more pumpkin recipes? Try these!

Did you enjoy the pumpkin cake recipe? Well, I have a similar recipe to share with you today that I think you are going to love – pumpkin cupcakes! This pumpkin cupcakes recipes are so easy and delicious. I made a delicious, yet equally simple cream cheese frosting to top these pumpkin cupcakes for one fabulous pumpkin dessert. Everyone goes crazy over them and I think you will see why after you make them.

Make sure you try some of our delicious cupcakes. I know you will find more your family will love.

All you need to make this recipe is a boxed cake mix and some pumpkin puree. Make sure you also see how to make pumpkin puree easily to save you money. If you don’t have a cupcake pan (or you’re like me and you need a new one), I love this 12 cup muffin pan. This recipe makes 12 pumpkin cupcakes so this pan works perfectly. To make the cream cheese frosting, I simply blended butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar. When you make the frosting, it works best if you whisk with a standing mixer for the perfect easy cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients you need for the pumpkin cupcakes:

• Boxed Cake Mix (I have used Betty Crocker Spice Cake, White cake, and I have even used a gluten free cake mix)
• 2 cups homemade pumpkin puree (or 1 can 100% pumpkin)

Ingredients for the easy cream cheese frosting

• 1/2 cup cubed butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoon of milk

How to make Pumpkin Cupcakes Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Mix together cake mix and canned pumpkin. Mix until well combined. You can also easily make homemade canned pumpkin too.
3. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. This will make 12 cupcakes.
4. Bake at 350 F for 12-16 minutes or until top of cupcake bounces back when pressed down lightly.
5. Remove from oven and let cool.
   
6. To make the easy cream cheese frosting: Cream together butter and cream cheese with electric mixer with whisk attachment. Slowly add powdered sugar, whisking for 3-4 minutes. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk if the icing is too thick.
7. Mix until it is blended into a beautiful frosting.
8. Once cooled, frost the cupcakes.
9. You can add a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice for added flavor and presentation if you would like.

If you have about 30 minutes, you can whip up these pumpkin cupcakes. Head to the store, grab the few ingredients needed, and wow your family with these tasty treats.

Hey guys, it’s Rome today, I’m hanging out with my friend, Justine, Hi, you guys know Justine I’m gonna be putting her links down below Go check them out show her some love subscribe where making a bunch of videos together lately I’m so happy She’s back from travel, and I thought let’s celebrate by making something that we both love

This is a hint pumpkin spice Lattes are in season It Just isn’t fall without them We both love coffee, I am so happy right now , and and you really like pumpkin spice Oh my goodness I love pumpkin spice any pumpkin Nobody more ready than us we got pumpkins everywhere so I thought we’ve got to make a themed baked treat I’ve made a pumpkin cupcake, but never a pumpkin spice latte Cupcake with you know caffeine did we just dump this in yeah, we just pour this in a baking tray, okay? and see what happens the things you’ll need to make these cupcakes will be 1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup unsalted butter 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup hot milk 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup pumpkin puree 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk 1 large egg 2 teaspoons instant espresso 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground clove 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger 1/2 TSP ground nutmeg a teaspoon of salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract And 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder then for the whipped cream frosting you’ll need 2 cups of heavy cream Quarter cup of sugar and a decorate you’ll need a decorating bag fitted with the number 2 D tip some pumpkin pie Spice and some green straws we need those classic Starbucks green straws first step to making these cupcakes Mixing together our wet ingredients in a bowl over here, so Justine you were in the hot milk

Oh watch out It’s a little hot super hot the heat helps the instant espresso dissolve faster Oh that smells good This is like breakfast Should we just drink this and stop for the video? Oh, yeah, don’t just? You know what we should do what not part of the recipe, but I feel like it couldn’t hurt Just put a little bit of our pumpkin spice in there Just like a little I’m doing you’re gonna Do just be more delicious all right now whisk together until all of the espresso is dissolved This is the best morning ever I’m having a lovely time this needs to be a perfume I would take a little bit of this and be like Alright now scoop in our pumpkin puree and all pour in the condensed milk Oh, yeah, that’s good We set our wet ingredients off to the side And now we’ve got all of our dry ones right here in front of us and this right Here’s the magic I went to the official Starbucks website And I looked at the ingredients for their PSL and we’re gonna incorporate those ingredients into this recipe so it’s gonna be very true to nature gosh It’s just I need to take a little more charge just to think about it

Yeah, Oh Are we basic Ok I’m gonna start with the flour and you pour in the spice paste Ok don’t spill them Justine because when you need it to taste right Whisk it up Let’s go Baking flare I like getting juggling knives and is not going well Now it’s time to cream our butter and sugars our regular granulated sugar and brown sugar Which is so good remember you want your butter to be at room? Temperature because it’ll be softer and just easier to cream all right here We go Justine I just back up cuz I know what happens in my kitchen This is looking pretty good We screen down the sides and now we’re gonna put in an egg and some vanilla extract That’s right You’re gonna add the whole egg here we go It’s so good it does not taste good to just eat plain though

This is very strong I wouldn’t suggest drinking it but smelling it and adding it to a batter Yo, now just mix together till well combined I think you can do this, but remember low speed low to medium oh I just get so nervous so we have our dry ingredients our butter mixture and our wet ingredients Now what do we do we are gonna combine these together? So you add a third of the dry? Mix it up half of the wet mix it up second third of the drive mix it up second half of the wet mix it Up and last of the dry mix it up and don’t forget to scrape down the sides between each addition Oh, yeah Oh, yeah, look at that Look at that Beautiful our batter is looking and smelling so good You know yeah Now we scoop it into the cupcake tray yes in front of me I have a cupcake tray lined with a bunch of little paper liners And this recipe makes 12 cupcakes so it’s perfect for a dozen And I’m using a little ice cream scoop fill each tray about two-thirds full I need maybe a spatula because I can’t let this batter Go to waste you guys just put love into this Okay, okay Help me out here

Can you just like a little bit in there so we can taste it Yeah, that’s We need a HEPA that’s that’s he but oh that’s a big bully yeah Never just a little furnace This is really good I know this is my new favorite cupcake How do we bake them, and then eat them? Oh, yeah, we gotta bake them It’s a preheat your oven to 375 and then bake these for 16 minutes That is 16 long minutes that we’re gonna have to wait

That’s too long, but it’s okay I Guess we put them in the oven now Where’s the oven? Oh? It’s right while the cupcakes are baking Justine We are gonna make homemade whipped cream to top these cupcakes with because I’m so good a lot of times when you order a PSL it comes with little whipped cream on top just pour in the heavy cream and sugar into a big mixing bowl We’re gonna be using an electric hand mixer start on a low speed work your way up to a high medium You’ll whip for about three to five minutes, but you want to whip until you get a medium peak We’ve got our cupcakes, which have had plenty of time to cool We’ve got our icing our pumpkin spice and little straws that we cut down This is my favorite part time to decorate the decoration is super simple so just grab your little piping bag And then we’re gonna make two little swirls and pull away, then do this to the rest of your cupcakes I also want to note that we are using pumpkin pie spice to sprinkle on top not Cinnamon a lot of people think it’s cinnamon, but all on the Starbucks drink It’s pumpkin pie spice so we could be baristas final decoration step We’re gonna add a little Starbucks straws, and we didn’t drink this or eat it both Yeah Did you in there you have it Starbucks theme pumpkin spice latte cupcakes that I made as? Accurately to the drink as similar as possible I hope you guys enjoyed the video a big Thank you to my friend Justine for helping me make these today things are having me These are so amazing

I mean they look fantastic delicious Again, I’m gonna be putting your links down below So please go subscribe show her some love and I’ll be posting pictures in the recipe online Rosanna pansino Comm facebook instagram and twitter, and if you guys make these cupcakes, please Take a picture and send it to me We couldn’t have two I love seeing your baking creations Especially when they have anything to do with coffee things are so great to be so happy alright I hope you guys enjoyed the video bye Bye Bye We finally get to have one for us

Let’s do a taste test Cheers oh Here we go I tried to drink it, but nothing came out I’m not there yet oh Good oh Yeah That’s pumpkin spice latte made me go a little bit up my nose You’re just like I look a little bit Let’s see I know

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting | Get the recipe for these moist and delicious pumpkin spice cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting!

I’m celebrating the autumn season by sharing my favorite recipe for pumpkin spice cupcakes with you today. Honestly, if you’re coming across this recipe at a different time of the year, it’s worth making anyway! If you’ve been here before, you’ll know that we’re big fans of pumpkin recipes. You can also check out our mini no-bake pumpkin pies and pumpkin walnut baked brie!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

If there’s one thing I know, it’s that we have a lot of pumpkin spice fanatics out there. Lattes, muffins, candles, and cupcakes- oh my!

I also know there are many recipes for pumpkin spice cupcakes floating around, but I wanted to share the one I’ve developed through trial-and-error. Over the years I have added milk to the recipe, more pumpkin pie spice, less egg, etc.

At one point, I even added the cinnamon to the cream cheese frosting to give it a little something “extra”.

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

One of the most important factors that I’ve found with this recipe and others is that I get different results depending on the temperature of the ingredients. So if you have a bit of time to plan ahead, I recommend that you keep the following ingredients at room temperature for a little while before baking:

It leads to much more stable recipe results!

Next, prepare your cupcake pan with liners and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine your dry ingredients: self-rising flour (or flour plus baking powder), salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set that aside, we’ll come back to it later!

In a separate bowl (if you have a batter bowl, that’s what I like to use for this) combine pumpkin puree, milk, and vanilla extract by hand until the mixture is smooth. Set this aside as well!

Do you have to use a stand mixer?

Not necessarily, but I would recommend using it if you have one! It makes both the cake and especially the frosting a lot easier. If you don’t have a stand mixer, I would recommend a handheld mixer.

If you do have a stand mixer, in the bowl cream together the brown sugar, sugar, and butter. Add the three eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly in between.

Now it’s time to get the two bowls you set aside earlier. Switch the speed to low and beat in a third of the flour mixture. Next, add half of the pumpkin puree mixture. Continue to alternate mixtures until all is combined. A helpful trick here is to use a dish towel draped over the mixture to prevent a flour explosion!

Use an ice cream scoop to add the pumpkin spice cupcake batter to the pans. Fill them about 3/4 of the way.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Repeat all of this for the second dozen!

How to Make Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

This is the part were the stand mixer is especially helpful! The first step is to cream together the cream cheese and butter with a paddle attachment until it’s smooth. Next, add half (which will be half of the bag) of the confectioner’s sugar. A dish towel helps here as well! Turn the mixer to low and combine. Add the final half. After that’s well mixed, add the vanilla and cinnamon.

I use a Wilton 1mm Star Tip to frost the cupcakes, then I garnish them with a little added cinnamon.

Since the frosting does contain cream cheese, the cupcakes should be refrigerated.

These cupcakes disappear really fast in our house. The kids love them with or without the frosting. They call them muffins and want them for breakfast. Hey, whatever works! I hope you enjoy them as much as we clearly do.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and cinnamon; beat until smooth. Thank you so much – I will be making these every fall for the rest. Easy to make and super moist with delicious pumpkin spice flavor.

The Pumpkin Cupcakes are soft and fluffy. Pumpkin spice cupcakes hold a permanent spot on our fall baking bucket list, and with so many baking recipes we’re making this season, we needed a ridiculously Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. The trick to making the best pumpkin cupcake recipe is all about the spices; or more importantly, the. You can cook Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting using 5 ingredients and 5 steps. Here is how you cook it.

Ingredients of Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

1. You need 1 box of PILLSBURY MOIST SUPREME® PERFECTLY PUMPKIN PREMIUM CAKE MIX.
2. Prepare 1 can of Cream cheese frosting.
3. It’s 1 packages of Multicolor sprinkles.
4. It’s 1 cup of Pumpkin latte M&M’s.
5. Prepare 1 of Food coloring kit.

If you only pick out a couple of things to bake this fall, I highly highly recommend that. Easy to make and full of delicious pumpkin flavor. There are few things that excite me more every year than when pumpkin season comes around. I quickly buy all things pumpkin spice at the store and then end up disappointed from the lack of flavor.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Follow the directions of the cake mix. I used substitute egg liquid instead of actual eggs..
2. Use Halloween themed cupcake liners and fill in the batter halfway. Bake for 21 mins..
3. Stick a toothpick in the cupcakes to check if they’re done. If it comes out clean then you’re all set! Wait till they’re completely cooled..
4. Stir frosting to make it softer. Divide icing evenly into 3 bowls. In one bowl, mix in green food coloring. In another bowl, mix in red and yellow coloring. Leave the last bowl with the traditional white color. Frost the cupcakes (8 cupcakes for each color)..
5. Add on sprinkles and M&M’s. Decorate however else you want. Enjoy!.

Add the maple syrup and confectioners’ sugar and mix thoroughly. But put a pumpkin spice anything in front of her and she will eat them ALL with both hands. These individual pumpkin cakes have been a fall standby long before Pumpkin Spice Lattes came on the scene. Indeed, our cupcakes are deliciously moist, bursting with pumpkin. These pumpkin cupcakes are smacked full of fall flavors featuring cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.

These super moist pumpkin cupcakes are easy to make, perfectly pumpkin spiced, and finished with tangy cream cheese frosting. I adapted this recipe from my very favorite pumpkin cake. They’re a must-try during the fall season!

Pumpkin cupcakes deserve their own spotlight, right?

I received some questions about turning my pumpkin cake into cupcakes, so I figure a completely separate post for pumpkin cupcakes would be helpful. Compared to cake, cupcakes cook faster and are easier to decorate, transport, and serve. LOVE THAT!

These are the BEST Pumpkin Cupcakes

And I have a list to prove it!

• Easy to prepare
• Simple, basic ingredients
• Moist and soft
• Heightened pumpkin spice flavor
• Sweetened with brown sugar
• Topped with tangy cream cheese frosting
• Fun to decorate! 🙂

Let’s Compare

Let’s compare these pumpkin cupcakes to the pumpkin cupcake recipe I shared a few years ago. There’s definitely a few differences!

• Ease: Both pumpkin cupcake recipes are super low maintenance. You don’t need a mixer to make either batter (though you could certainly use one!) and both batters come together in minutes.
• Actual Recipes: The recipes themselves are pretty similar. Here I cut out the milk and reduced the flour to make up for less liquid. You only need 1 cup of flour, so you are basically guaranteed mega moist cupcakes. There’s also more brown sugar for extra flavor.
• Flavor: The flavors are pretty identical, though there’s a little more spice flavor here.
• Texture: But here’s the real difference– these pumpkin cupcakes are a little less dense. They’re incredibly moist and soft, but have more of a cake and cupcake texture and less of a muffin texture.

My tip: As with most of my cupcake recipes, fill the liners only about 2/3 full. This is about 3 full Tablespoons of batter per cupcake. (See 9 more tips for baking the BEST cupcakes!)

Ingredients in Pumpkin Cupcakes

Because this homemade pumpkin cupcake recipe is based off of my pumpkin cake, you’ll notice the ingredients are almost exactly the same. In a nutshell, we halve the cake recipe to yield about 12 cupcakes. The spices and vanilla extract aren’t completely halved. Rather, I kept both on the higher side for plenty of FLAVOR!

Here’s what you need:

1. Flour: All-purpose flour serves as the base. It’s sturdy enough to support the thick batter.
2. Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These help the cupcakes rise.
3. Cinnamon & Pumpkin Pie Spice: Instead of prepared pumpkin pie spice, you can use 1/2 teaspoon each: ground allspice and ground ginger AND 1/4 teaspoon each: ground nutmeg and ground cloves.
4. Salt & Vanilla Extract: Both add flavor. Try making your own homemade vanilla extract sometime.
5. Oil: Oil, as opposed to butter, guarantees a moist crumb.
6. Eggs: Eggs provide structure and moisture.
7. Sugar: I only use brown sugar to sweeten these cupcakes because it’s the best!
8. Pumpkin: Use 1 cup of pumpkin puree in this recipe, then browse my pumpkin recipes to use up the rest of the can.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream cheese frosting is a pumpkin cupcake’s BFF.

Here’s what I love most about this duo: cream cheese frosting doesn’t take away from the pumpkin flavor. Rather, it lets the pumpkin cupcakes shine. Cream cheese frosting is not selfish. That’s a true friend, is it not?! 😉 We’d have a different story with, say, vanilla buttercream because it’s too sweet, too heavy, and too overpowering.

This cream cheese frosting will hold a little shape if you pipe it, though a simple swirl with a knife works too. I like to use a round tip for piping, like Ateco 808 large round because it resembles a big puffy cloud on top!

Find cute pumpkin decorating toppers here. (Link to adorable decor is an affiliate link.) You can also decorate these cupcakes with festive fall sprinkles or mellowcreme pumpkins!

Normally, the late-summer emergence of pumpkin-flavored everything is entirely unwelcome. It feels like brands are in a rush to move on from what normally registers as the happiest time of year for many of us. The idea of trading in a swimsuit for a sweater also feels like a major buzzkill (not to mention downright uncomfortable) when temps are still in the 80s.

© Swiss Miss

This year, however, I’d argue that people are a bit more receptive to the arrival of autumn, maybe because everyone’s grand plans are cancelled and we’re all starting to lose our minds in the air conditioned nightmare that is America in 2020. And what better way to cozy up on a crisp fall day than with a cp of Swiss Miss Pumpkin Spice Hot Cocoa Mix.

First appearing on the scene in 2019, this limited edition fall flavor is free of artificial sweeteners, preservatives, flavors, and colors, and is made to be 99.9% caffeine free. That means you can wean yourself off caffeine without really giving up your pumpkin spice latte addiction—all without physically leaving home to go to a coffee shop.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy.

These moist Pumpkin Cupcakes are topped with cream cheese frosting! They are light, fluffy and full of pumpkin flavor and pumpkin spice! An easy pumpkin recipe made with all brown sugar for flavor that really shines!

There are few things that excite me more every year than when pumpkin season comes around. I quickly buy all things pumpkin spice at the store and then end up disappointed from the lack of flavor. For me, the best pumpkin things are ones that are flavored not only with pumpkin spice but also with pumpkin. One might assume that pumpkin spice includes pumpkin flavor, but that’s not always the case and it’s so sad.

But I’m happy to say these cupcakes are flavored with plenty of both pumpkin and pumpkin spice. I have a variety of pumpkin cupcakes on the blog, but none that are as straight forward as these pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheesecake frosting. They are classic, totally necessary and SO good!

The other great thing about these cupcakes is that they are so shareable, which a total necessity this time of year. It’s all about holiday parties and bringing desserts to work and eating your weight in all the delicious flavors of the season. Well these pumpkin cupcakes are here to help you with your holiday goals. 😉

How to Make Pumpkin Cupcakes

So these pumpkin cupcakes are not only delicious, they are also super easy to put together. You are simply combining wet and dry ingredients, then adding your pumpkin puree. It really couldn’t get easier.

To get started, you’ll grab your brown sugar. I love the deep flavor that brown sugar gives desserts and these pumpkin cupcakes are no exception. They deepen the flavor and bring out the pumpkin and spices that we love so much.

Next, you’ll add vegetable oil to the brown sugar. I love the oil in these cupcakes over butter to produce a crazy moist cupcake that stays moist for days. Vanilla and eggs are also added, then everything is combined.

The dry ingredients are up next, which I always like to combine in a separate bowl. It ensures that everything is well combined before adding to the wet ingredients so that you don’t end up with pockets of certain ingredients that don’t get mixed well throughout the batter.

Included with your flour, baking powder and baking soda mixture are your spices – cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. I’ve messed around with adding and subtracting certain ones and using different amounts and these are just as I love them to be with lots of flavor, but not so much that it over powers the pumpkin. Perfection!

And then of course salt. Can’t forget that! It adds flavor too!

And finally – the real star here – the pumpkin. There’s a full cup of pumpkin in these pumpkin cupcakes to ensure lots of moisture and plenty of flavor! Gimme all the pumpkin!

Once the cupcakes are baked, it’s time for the classic cream cheese frosting. It uses a combination of butter and cream cheese with some powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Classic. Simple. Delicious. Perfect for pairing with pumpkin cupcakes.

I finished off my cupcakes with some little pumpkin candies, but you could also used crushed up pecans or something else festive. The bottom line is that no matter how you decorate them, they will be moist, delicious and perfect for fall and the holidays.

Pumpkin Spice Marshmallow Treat Cupcakes are an adorable and delicious addition to any fall dessert plate! Festive sprinkles and mini pumpkin spice marshmallows make them extra special.

The calendar has officially clicked over to fall! This is my favorite time of year.

We are finally getting into the groove of the new school year, routines are being established, and the weather is hinting at cooling down sometime in the next few weeks *fingers crossed*.

I have been living on pumpkin spice lattes (iced lattes for when the days are too relentlessly hot) and with October just around the corner, I can officially bust out all of my cinnamon, pumpkin, nutmeg-y recipes.

Fall is birthday season in our house, too. September, October, and November are filled with birthdays.

On one hand, I love that the kids’ and my husband’s birthday all fall during my favorite season, but I have a hard time coming up with good ideas for both gifts and treats that don’t feel repeated.

Not to mention that Christmas is just around the corner and balancing what gifts to buy for birthday vs. Christmas is an annual struggle.

Oh, did I mention that kids like having a dessert for home and one for school?

That means double birthday desserts. Double. Birthday. Desserts.

In other words, that’s a whole bunch of treats that I need to make so I always have my eyes peeled for new and fun birthday treats. But, having a back-pocket idea to keep myself from getting overwhelmed this time of year is a necessity.

Back-pocket idea = marshmallow treat cupcakes.

EASY-TO-MAKE MARSHMALLOW TREAT CUPCAKES

I started making these marshmallow treat cupcakes a few years ago for different holidays. A different frosting, festive sprinkles, and seasonal marshmallows go a long way to making these unique for each season.

Easter? Pop a pretty pastel marshmallow and sprinkles on top of your marshmallow treat cupcakes. Christmas? Give them a gingerbread spin.

Plus, making marshmallow treats is an obvious choice because:

1. They’re delicious
2. They’re easy

How many more reasons do we need?

This month, I am busting out the CampfireВ® Pumpkin Spice Marshmallows for a festive fall treat!

These marshmallows are one of my favorites of Campfire’s seasonal marshmallows. Adorable, soft pumpkin-shaped marshmallows that are lightly spiced and ready to float in mugs of hot chocolate or melt into marshmallow treats.

Marshmallow treats are a total no-bake standby. They take just minutes to whip together. When you use a muffin tin to form the treats, they take on a whole new level of amazing!

Plus, you only need three ingredients for the marshmallow treat cupcakes.

WHAT YOU NEED FOR PUMPKIN SPICE MARSHMALLOW TREAT CUPCAKES

• Butter
• CampfireВ® Pumpkin Spice Marshmallows
• Rice Cereal

The frosting for these pumpkin spice marshmallow treat cupcakes is a yummy, homemade cream cheese frosting, similar to the one on these banana cupcakes, that comes together quickly in a stand mixer.

I used vanilla extract in the frosting for some warmth, but you can use pumpkin spice extract to make them extra pumpkin-spicy! A few fall sprinkles and a mini pumpkin spice marshmallow and voila!

Total cuteness that any kid (or adult) is going to love.

You can bet that I’ll be making a batch of these gingerbread marshmallow treat cupcakes come December, too!

This post is by Emily Caruso of Jelly Toast.

Pumpkin Spice Marshmallow Treat Cupcakes are an adorable and delicious addition to any fall dessert plate! Festive sprinkles and mini pumpkin spice marshmallows make them extra special.

These pumpkin cupcakes are filled with pumpkin puree and spices, then baked and topped with a generous amount of cream cheese frosting. The ultimate fall treat that’s perfect for parties and even for Thanksgiving day.

When pumpkin season comes around, I often make a variety of seasonal desserts including pumpkin dump cake, pumpkin pie cheesecake and these light and fluffy pumpkin cupcakes.

It’s time for everything pumpkin, and these pumpkin cupcakes definitely do not disappoint. They have the perfect texture, plenty of pumpkin flavor, and are finished off with melt-in-your-mouth cream cheese frosting. How can you go wrong with that?

How do you make pumpkin cupcakes?

These cupcakes rely on pumpkin puree and vegetable oil for their moist and tender texture. Other ingredients include flour, eggs, sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Pour the batter into your muffin tin then bake until the cupcakes are golden brown. Let the cupcakes cool completely, then prepare the cream cheese frosting. Pipe a swirl of frosting onto each cake. Decorate with pumpkin candies, and you’ll be ready to indulge in these fabulous treats.

Tips for the perfect pumpkin cupcakes

• Watching your calories? You can substitute unsweetened applesauce for half of the oil.
• If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice in the house, you can use cinnamon with a pinch of ground ginger, cloves and nutmeg mixed in.
• You can either use paper cupcake liners, or simply spray the muffin tin with cooking spray before pouring in the batter.
• I decorated my cupcakes with candy pumpkins which I purchased at my local craft store. You can use any fall candy on top, or even a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.

Cupcake Variations

• Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cakes: Mix together 8 ounces of softened cream cheese with 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Place a dollop of the cream cheese mixture into each muffin cup of batter and swirl with a toothpick. Proceed with the rest of the recipe as directed.
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes: Add 1 cup of chocolate chips to the batter, proceed with the rest of the recipe as directed.
• Pumpkin Nut Cakes: Add 3/4 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter, proceed with the rest of the recipe as directed.
• Banana Pumpkin Cupcakes: Add 1 mashed banana to the batter, then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
• Pumpkin Nutella Cupcakes: Swirl 1 teaspoon of Nutella into each muffin cup of pumpkin batter, then proceed as directed.

HOW DO YOU MAKE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING?

This cream cheese frosting is made with cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and a little vanilla extract. You can make your cream cheese frosting as thick or as thin as you’d like. Simply add more powdered sugar to make the frosting thicker, or add milk, a teaspoon at a time, to thin out the frosting. Thicker frosting is easier to pipe onto cupcakes, but you want to make sure it’s not too thick so that it doesn’t squeeze out of the piping tip properly.

Can you freeze cupcakes?

I recommend freezing these cupcakes before you add the frosting. Thaw the cupcakes at room temperature, then add the frosting and serve. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen in a resealable bag for up to 2 months.

These cupcakes are the absolute best way to celebrate the fall season. They look impressive, yet they’re so easy to make!

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes are super yummy and so easy to make. A unique twist on a classic – pumpkin cake plus whipped cream frosting with a yummy buttery crust.

I don’t like pie. There, I’ve said it! I can’t believe that I’m the only one. But maybe I am. For sure I’m always begging my family to include an alternative Thanksgiving dessert on the menu – Pumpkin Spice Cookies, Pumpkin Mini Cakes even Fall Leaves Rice Krispie Treats. This year I think we have come up with the Thanksgiving dessert that I am going to request every single year from now on … Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes! Boy are they delicious …layers of Nilla Wafer “crust” and delicious pumpkin spice cake topped with our amazing Best Whipped Cream Frosting. Yum, yum, yum.

To make the “crust” for our Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes you will need about 30 Nilla Wafers, 3 tablespoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of butter.

Put approximately 30 Nilla Wafers in a large plastic bag. Crush them with a rolling pin. You want a coarse crush – not too fine. That is why we didn’t crush them in a food processor. Melt the butter in the microwave and then add the butter and the sugar into the bag. Mix thoroughly until the Nilla Wafers are coated with the butter.

Add a heaping tablespoon of the Nilla Wafer mixture to each cupcake liner.

Use a spoon or your fingers to firmly press down the Nilla Wafer mixture into the bottom of the cupcake liner. You want the crust to take up about 1/4 of the liner.

The cake layer of our Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes was made with this Pillsbury Perfectly Pumpkin Cake mix. It tastes great and bakes up into a yummy and moist cake. Make up the cake batter as instructed on the cake box with the following additions:

• Add 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Add 6 drips of Orange food coloring

Fill the cupcake liner with the cake batter until it is 3/4 full (as shown above.)

Bake the cupcakes as you normally would, 15-20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

This is what the Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes look like fresh out of the oven. The crust and the cupcake have fused together — so pretty and so delicious!

We topped our Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes with our super delicious Best Whipped Cream Frosting. It tastes just like whipped cream but has the consistency of frosting. This light and not too sweet frosting is perfect for these cupcakes. You can find the recipe and detailed instructions for making this frosting right here.

Frost the cupcakes as you normally would and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Leave the cupcakes liners on so the cake doesn’t dry out but we suggest that you remove the liner before you display these beautiful cupcakes on your Thanksgiving dessert table. The cupcakes taste best at room temperature so we suggest that you take them out of the refrigerator a couple of hours before you serve them.

These Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes are so very good. The buttery Nilla Wafer bottom is such a great addition to the yummy pumpkin cupcake. And the light and delicious Whipped Cream frosting is the perfect topping for this unique cupcake that would be great at Halloween, Fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas or anytime you have a hankering for pumpkin that isn’t served up in a pie!

Collin Pollock, Pollock Photography / Moment Open / Getty Images

• Total: 35 mins
• Prep: 10 mins
• Cook: 25 mins
• Yield: 24 Servings

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These pumpkin cupcakes are a perfect choice for a Halloween party treat or fall dessert. The moist pumpkin cupcakes are perfectly spiced with a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, and they get extra texture from chopped walnuts or pecans.

Top these cupcakes with fluffy caramel cream cheese frosting or a basic cream cheese frosting. Or top with a dollop of whipped cream or whipped topping and a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar.

The perfect version of the popular fall drink: Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes!

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Tessa’s Recipe Rundown.

Taste: Just like fall, just like your favorite seasonal coffee-shop drink. I love that these cupcakes are clearly a dessert yet not cloying.
Texture: The cakes are perfectly moist, the cream is light, and the caramel sticks to your lips.
Ease: I made my caramel sauce a day ahead of time (you could also use store-bought). Making the cakes a day ahead of time would be a time-saver too.
Appearance: Gorgeous.
Pros: The perfect cupcake version of that beloved autumn coffee drink.
Cons: None.
Would I make this again? Yes.

The perfect version of the popular fall drink: Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes!

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes

There are some things that visually signify the start of the fall season. Green leaves being replaced by an array of dazzling reds, yellows, and browns. Apples, pears, grapes, pomegranates, pumpkins, butternut squash, cauliflower, sweet potatoes making their way into the markets. Fog rolling across the hillsides. Boots, scarves, and cardigans replacing flip flops and tank tops.

Unfortunately, living in the desert in Arizona we have virtually zero natural indicators of the fall season until it’s well into winter. All those things sound nice, glorious really, but that’s not how we Phoenicians can tell it’s autumn. We can tell it’s the start of the fall season when the chain stores put up massive Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas product displays despite the fact that it’s still 100 degrees out. When it seems the only thing on television is endless games of football. When all of our midwest friends and family members start talking about some strange thing called snow. But best of all, when our favorites shops, cafes, and restaurants begin offering seasonal items like pumpkin spice lattes.

Deliciously moist pumpkin cupcakes with a rich flavor. These Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes are made to taste just like Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. Made with pumpkin, coffee, and milk, these buttercream frosted cupcakes pack plenty of real flavor for every pumpkin lover!

Autumn is my favorite season. I find comfort in snuggling up with a blanket, and a good book while sipping on a hot latte with warm spices. I’ve created that same warm feeling into these pumpkin cupcakes.

Every fall, I patiently wait for Starbucks to come out with their Pumpkin Spice Latte. Once it hits the menu, it’s the unofficial start of the fall holiday season even if the temperature outside is much like summer weather.

Nothing beats warm coffee with pumpkin flavor and warm fall spices and that’s where the inspiration for this recipe came from.

Last week I bought a few pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks for the family and headed home to make my first batch of Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes. After thinking about Starbucks pumpkin spice latte ingredients, I put together this easy recipe. The first batch I made didn’t have much of a coffee flavor and paled in comparison to the Starbucks latte in my hand but I quickly got the recipe right and it’s perfect to share now.

I finally found a pumpkin patch near me after years of searching. Having lived in the Midwest most of my life, pumpkin patches were everywhere. About 10 years ago, my dad started growing his own pumpkin patch on his land and I’ve always had an abundance of pumpkins for the season.

I can’t imagine life without pumpkins. There is nothing like warm spices, sugar, and pumpkin cheer up a brisk autumn day!

If you can’t get outside to visit a pumpkin patch this season, then this Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcake recipe will suffice. Just visit your local grocery store and pick up a can of pumpkin puree. There are times where it’s perfectly acceptable bake the whole season away and fall and winter my times!

These Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes are full of pumpkin coffee flavor with cream, caramel sauce, warm spices, and buttercream spiced frosting.

If you love Starbucks Pumpkin Latte, then you’ll fall in love all over again with these pumpkin cupcakes!

Looking for more delicious cupcakes recipes? Try these Maple Bacon Cupcakes or these Caramel Apple Cupcakes. I love this Maple Bacon Crack, too!

This weekend, amongst the madness of just-paid Army wives and Thanksgiving shoppers at the Commissary, I spotted a box of Jell-O Pumpkin Spice Pudding! *SQEEEEEEEEL* I immediately tossed it into my basket and continued on my shopping.

Today… my husband is hungover. A bottle of Johnny Walker and half a bottle of Glenlivet between him and his buddy Jody… well, they’re both not happy soldiers today. Which means… I’m alone to bake whatever my little heart desires!

First, it was my second double batch of Holiday Chex Mix of the season… now it’s cupcakes… and after the cupcakes are done… the roast, taters and carrots go in the oven! Are you jealous yet? hehe It’s a fabulous day to be in my kitchen!

So… the cupcakes. I’ve said over and over how I’m not a “box mix” kinda baker. But I find myself lately having a box “on hand” in my kitchen and well… whip up a batch of one-bowl cupcakes using it! Eeeek. Now that I have a box of pudding mix… I thought maybe the two might go together! I thought a nice maple cream cheese frosting would go well with them too! YUM!

WRONG. Total disaster. The batter started out okay…. had promise. They baked, puffed up perfectly. See… don’t they look pretty?

WRONG… they sunk.

I thought… well maybe, I can salvage them with frosting. NOPE. Wrong again. I tasted the cupcakes and they were DISGUSTING! They tasted like pudding… but nothing like cake! No flavor and just GROSS! ACK!

Into the trash can they went.

I’ve learned my lesson. NO MORE BOXED CAKE MIX!

And as for the pudding… I’ll stick to eating it out of the bowl and not in my cupcakes.

Here’s a picture of the ingredients I used…. so that you won’t make the same mistakes I did.

Ingredients:
1 box cake mix
1 box pumpkin spice pudding
2 cups cold milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla (not pictured)
spices

SO… what did I do wrong? Any suggestions? How do you make your pudding cupcakes?

With fall almost here, everyone is experiencing Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) fever. Folks can’t wait to get their hands on the PSL at Starbucks, but any fan of the coffee giant knows, the limited-edition fall drink is still not on menus. So what do you do if you need to feed your need for a PSL, you figure out how to make Pumpkin Spice latte cupcakesВ at home,В duh!

The delicious cupcakes are surprisingly easy to make and by the looks of it, are pretty darn delicious, too. You’re going to need a muffin tin, pumpkin pie mix, and vanilla cake mix to get things started. When prepping, make sure to line your tin with cupcake liners and fill each halfway with pumpkin pie filling and the rest of the way with vanilla cake mix.

Then, lightly swirl the two fillings together and bake for 17 minutes atВ 350 degrees. Ice them to your liking and top it off with a caramel swirl and pumpkin pie spice. Delicious! (I mean, did you have any doubts about that?) For more details on this recipe, head over to ChelSweets.com, who was the inspiration behindВ this deliciously goodВ Pumpkin Spice latte cupcakes recipe. After having one of these cupcakes, you might never want to have a regular PSL ever again. I, for one, don’t blame you.

AndВ the best part is, you can make them right at home.

If you feel like these delicious cupcakes won’t fill your PSL void, then you can always drive to your local grocery store and pick up the ready-to-drink PSL drink that you can enjoy over ice or even blend into a DIY frappuccino. If you’re eager to get your PSL from an actual Starbucks location, it might be here sooner than we expected, because the syrup used to make the infamous PSL has already arrived at many locations.

The news came after a Starbucks employee shared photos of the gallon of PSL syrup on a Reddit group. All I’m saying is, Starbucks needs to stop playing with my emotions and just release the PSL already.

This weekend, amongst the madness of just-paid Army wives and Thanksgiving shoppers at the Commissary, I spotted a box of Jell-O Pumpkin Spice Pudding! В *SQEEEEEEEEL* В I immediately tossed it into my basket and continued on my shopping.

Today… my husband is hungover. В A bottle of Johnny Walker and half a bottle of Glenlivet between him and his buddy Jody… well, they’re both not happy soldiers today. В Which means… I’m alone to bake whatever my little heart desires!

First, it was my second double batch of Holiday Chex Mix of the season… now it’s cupcakes… and after the cupcakes are done… В the roast, taters and carrots go in the oven! В Are you jealous yet? hehe В It’s a fabulous day to be in my kitchen!

So… the cupcakes. В I’ve said over and over how I’m not a “box mix” kinda baker. В But I find myself lately having a box “on hand” in my kitchen and well… whip up a batch of one-bowl cupcakes using it! В Eeeek. В Now that I have a box of pudding mix… I thought maybe the two might go together! В I thought a nice maple cream cheese frosting would go well with them too! В YUM!

WRONG. В Total disaster. В The batter started out okay…. had promise. В They baked, puffed up perfectly. В See… don’t they look pretty?

WRONG… they sunk.

I thought… well maybe, I can salvage them with frosting. В NOPE. В Wrong again. В I tasted the cupcakes and they were DISGUSTING! В They tasted like pudding… but nothing like cake! В No flavor and just GROSS! ACK!

Into the trash can they went.

I’ve learned my lesson. В NO MORE BOXED CAKE MIX!

And as for the pudding… I’ll stick to eating it out of the bowl and not in my cupcakes.

Here’s a picture of the ingredients I used…. so that you won’t make the same mistakes I did.

Ingredients:
1 box cake mix
1 box pumpkin spice pudding
2 cups cold milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla (not pictured)
spices

SO… what did I do wrong? Any suggestions? How do you make your pudding cupcakes?

The perfect balance of espresso and pumpkin spice make these pumpkin spice latte cupcakes completely irresistible.

Freaky for fall. It’s the phrase I love most when I first notice the weather begin to cool down. I count down the seconds until I can finally break out my boots and sweaters. I long for the time when I can stroll through the park tripping out over how beautiful the trees look in vibrant shades of red, yellow, and orange. I not so patiently wait for the very first time all the fall-inspired food and drink are released. And yes, I am talking about the pumpkin spice latte.

I admit that I am so into pumpkin spice. To an extent, I mean. Things like pumpkin spice granola, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, or pumpkin shrubs are all amazing. But I draw the line at things like pumpkin spice candy corn (which are terrible already without the added potpourri strength of the spice), or dog treats. So making something like these pumpkin spice latte cupcakes were a long time coming.

I took a favorite pumpkin cupcake I used to make and added a healthy dose of espresso so there is a sweet balance of warm fall spice and coffee kick. To top the cupcakes, I didn’t want to do a traditional frosting for these pumpkin spice latte cupcakes. Instead, I wanted to give it a more “latte” feel by using a whipped cream topping to which I added a touch of cream cheese for stability and added flavor. Then, of course, there is the caramel drizzle. You can use any caramel you like, but for these particular cupcakes, I actually used cold brew caramel I had from Fat Toad Farm to amp up that coffee flavor just a touch more.

These super moist pumpkin spice latte cupcakes are so good, you’ll have a hard time stopping at just one – promise!

These dark Chocolate Cupcakes are paired with the most delicious and perfectly spiced Pumpkin Buttercream!

These dark Chocolate Cupcakes are paired with the most delicious and perfectly spiced Pumpkin Buttercream!

• 1/2 c 1 stick or 115g unsalted butter
• 2 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 3/4 c 150g granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c 115g sour cream, room temperature
• 1/2 c 42g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 c 95g all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 1/2 c butter 113g, room temperature
• 1/2 c 110g pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 c 380g confectioners sugar
• 1 tbsp. pumpkin spice

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. This recipe makes 12-14 cupcakes, so prepare one pan (or maybe two) with cupcake liners.

Melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between each time. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment; add the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and sour cream and whisk on medium speed until smooth. (about 1 minute)

In a medium sized bowl, sift the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together until thoroughly combined.

Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full with batter. Bake for 15-18 minutes. The center of the cupcake should spring back up if gently pressed.

Place all ingredients in bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment (can also use a hand-held mixer) and turn on to low speed.

I may be in the minority, but I happen to love living in Minnesota. Yes, even though we have winter 6 months of the year and even though one of our seasons is officially called “road construction” and even though the mosquitos we breed are what horror movies are made of.

But here in the midwest when October hits the air changes. The humidity is gone and it is replaced with the delicious smell of sunburnt leaves. The wind carries a slightly crisp feel that compliments the warm sun and makes afternoon walks heaven on earth.

The colors of fall delight my eyes as I take in all the yellows and oranges and browns and reds.

I truly cannot imagine living anywhere else.

Maybe one of the best things about fall in my house is the baking. I love turning on the oven and having it warm the kitchen ever so slightly. I love how fall baking always means cinnamon and apples and everything pumpkin.

Oh how I love baking with pumpkin!

These cupcakes are a combination of my two favorite things… chocolate and pumpkin spice.

If you want to pipe this buttercream I would use only 1/4 cup of the pumpkin puree. This will create a much thicker (stiffer) consistency. If the frosting is too thick to pipe, you can add some heavy whipping cream. Start with 1 tablespoon at a time.

This recipe works best when you use quality ingredients. I splurge and get McCormick Pumpkin Pie Spice as well as the best quality pumpkin puree I can find. (that usually means a trip to Whole Foods for the organic stuff!) You can also use less confectioners sugar if you don’t mind a texture similar to pumpkin pie!

To achieve the look of these cupcakes I used an ice cream scoop. Simply dip the scoop into your frosting and then level it off on the side of the bowl. Drop the frosting onto the cupcake then gently tap the bottom of the cupcake on the counter. This will help the frosting to settle and spread a bit more evenly over the cupcake.

I do all of my baking while my oldest kids are at school but am lucky to still have the baby home with me. This child is the reason for my first gray hair! (You can read more about how I Survive Toddlerhood here.)

And while that child has been into more mischief than all her siblings combined, I could not help but laugh as she snuck her way into my photo shoot. Rest assured, this pumpkin buttercream is toddler approved!

Fluffy and moist pumpkin spice cupcakes topped with tangy cream cheese frosting. My new favourite autumn cupcake recipe and a must try for all pumpkin lovers!

Happy Monday everyone, I hope you all had a brilliant weekend! Wow! How fast is time flying?! We’re already halfway through October and that means Halloween is just around the corner!

I’m super excited to be sharing my first ever pumpkin recipe on the blog and there’s no better recipe to share than homemade pumpkin cupcakes swirled with cream cheese frosting!

I finally bought my first can of pumpkin puree the other day. I’ve held off until now but as autumn is in full swing now and Halloween fast approaching it seemed the perfect opportunity to start sharing some pumpkin recipes with you all.

The funny thing is, in the US everyone seems to be crazy for pumpkin but in the UK we don’t seem to embrace it as much. Using pumpkin in sweet baking is a totally new thing for me and at first it seemed seriously weird. After taking a bite of one of these cupcakes I soon realised pumpkin is a very versatile ingredient and brilliant in both savoury and sweet baking.

The cupcake batter is super easy to make. I love the combination of spices in these cupcakes. Each cupcake is topped with cream cheese frosting which is smooth, fluffy and has the perfect tanginess which compliments the spiced flavour in the cupcakes. I have to admit, I cheated this time and used pre-made frosting. This is because I had a frosting fail at the weekend but it is ok to cut corners sometimes!

Because Halloween is nearing closer I gave a few of the cupcakes some Halloween inspired decorations, hence the spooky Halloween scene and styling! 🙂 I topped some of these gorgeous spiced cupcakes with marshmallow pumpkins. But even without all the decorations these cupcakes will be amazing. Serve the cakes on platters at Halloween parties this year they will go down a treat!

Ingredients:

Cupcakes –

195g (1 and ½ cups + 2 tablespoons) plain (all-purpose) flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

130g (2/3 cup) granulated or caster sugar

90g (1/2 cup packed) light brown sugar

120ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil (canola or a light olive oil can be used)

2 large free-range eggs, at room temperature

200g (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Decoration –

Frosting – cream cheese, chocolate, vanilla, marshmallow will all work well

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160 Fan / 180 C / 350 F. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
2. To make the cupcakes: In a small mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices. Leave to one side.
3. In a medium mixing bowl cream the sugars together until combined. Add the oil and blend until mixed fully. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until incorporated. Finally, mix in the pumpkin and vanilla.
4. Add the flour mixture in two batches and fold to combine. Make sure you scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure it is well blended.
5. Divide the cupcake batter between the paper cases. Make sure you fill each cup about 3/4 of the way up. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean without any uncooked batter remaining. Leave the cupcakes to cool in the tin for 3 minutes then carefully remove and transport to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
6. Once the cupcakes are cooled, frost and decorate. The frosted cupcakes will store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Best served at room temperature. I also recommend decorating these just prior to serving.

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