Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are the best pumpkin cupcakes I have ever had! They are soft, moist and have the perfect pumpkin spice flavor.

It is pumpkin season and with Thanksgiving around the corner, I am excited to share with you my favorite pumpkin cupcake recipe! It is seriously the best pumpkin cupcake I have had – fluffy and perfectly pumpkin-y!

We typically serve up pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving but this year I am switching things up with these cupcakes and I know that they will be a welcome treat! I mean, who doesn’t love cupcakes? Topping them with cream cheese frosting (hands down my favorite frosting) makes them irresistible, in my opinion.

Did I mention how easy this recipe is? It really is pretty simple to whip up so if you are a novice baker, don’t worry, this recipe is definitely one you can tackle!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Why you should make these pumpkin cupcakes

  • Pumpkin treats are absolute perfection

  • these cupcakes have a super soft crumb

  • they are easy to make

  • these cupcakes are perfect for Thanksgiving, Hallowe’en or any Fall event!

  • they taste amazing
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting on a Fall table

Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe

The cupcakes themselves are pretty easy to make and don’t require any fancy equipment. I used a stand mixer but a hand mixer or even a bowl with a whisk will do the job! They are also pretty healthy and get their moisture from the pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt, and a bit of oil. They help keep these cupcakes light and fluffy too!

To make these cupcakes, it comes down to a few simple steps:

  1. Mix the dry ingredients together. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add granulated and brown sugar, Pumpkin Pie Spice, cinnamon and salt and mix to blend together.

  2. Mix the wet ingredients together. In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, blend together pumpkin puree, egg, vegetable oil, Greek yogurt, milk and vanilla extract until smooth.

  3. Combine the wet and dry ingredients.

  4. Bake! Divide batter into prepared cupcake liners and bake for 24-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let them cool completely before frosting.
Steps for Making Pumpkin Cupcakes

Cream Cheese Frosting

The cream cheese frosting is decadent and really compliments the pumpkin cupcake. The recipe for frosting produces enough for 18 cupcakes depending on how heavily you like to frost your cupcakes.

Making the frosting is pretty simple.

  1. Add cream cheese, butter, and icing sugar to a food processor with the paddle attachment. Blend on medium speed until it is light and fluffy. You can also use a hand mixer to do this. That is pretty much it!

  2. If your frosting is too thick, add a little milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. I personally didn’t add any milk this time but I have in the past.

I also drizzled these cupcakes with some caramel sauce for added decadence! Totally optional but highly recommended!

Making cream cheese frosting

Tips for making the best Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Tip #1: Don’t overmix your batter. Typical of all cake and muffin batters, be careful not to overmix. Mix the batter until everything is combined and then leave it alone. Overmixing will produce a dense cake.

Tip #2: Use a toothpick to test for doneness. The best way to ensure your cupcake is baked through is by inserting a toothpick or wooden skewer into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is baked.

Tip #3: Make sure your cupcakes are fully cooled before frosting. If they are still warm, the cream cheese frosting will melt and soften.

Pumpkin Cupcake with Cream Cheese Frosting and caramel drizzle

How to store pumpkin cupcakes

Since they are frosted with cream cheese frosting, these cupcakes should be stored in the fridge. Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature after they have cooled completely.

Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen as well. To freeze unfrosted cupcakes, allow them to cool completely and then place them in a freezer safe bag. When you are ready to enjoy them, allow them to thaw for 24 hours. You can then make the cream cheese frosting and frost them.

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

-Cathy

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and a caramel drizzle

Wondering what else to do with that can of pumpkin puree? You may also like:

Sweet:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
Homemade Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew Coffee
Pumpkin Streusel Bread
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Savory:

Pumpkin Fettuccine Alfredo
Creamy Pumpkin Soup
Turkey and Pumpkin Stuffed Shells

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting on a platter

If you try and enjoy this recipe, I would love to hear about it! Leave a rating and/or comment below to let me know what you think!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Catherine
These Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are the pumpkin cupcakes I have ever had! They are soft, moist and have the perfect pumpkin spice flavor.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 cupcakes
Calories 318 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup Greek Yogurt (can sub sour cream or a dairy free yogurt)
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting (produces enough frosting for 18 cupcakes)

  • 250 g cream cheese softened (8oz or 1 brick)
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar (icing sugar or confectioners sugar)
  • caramel sauce for drizzling (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350F and line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners.
  • In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the sugars, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt and mix to blend together.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, blend together the pumpkin puree, egg, vegetable oil, Greek yogurt, milk and vanilla extract until smooth.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until combined.
  • Divide batter into the prepared cupcake liners and bake for 24-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
  • Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, make the frosting by adding the cream cheese, butter, and icing sugar to a food processor with the paddle attachment. Blend on medium speed until it is light and fluffy. If frosting is too thick, add a little milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. [Note: the frosting recipe produces enough frosting for 18 cupcakes, depending on how heavily you frost your cupcakes].
  • Frost cupcakes. [Optional: Drizzle some caramel topping on top of the frosting.]

Note: Metric ingredient measurements are provided as a courtesy using a third-party calculator and are rounded to the nearest unit. The recipes provided on this site have not been tested with metric measurements and their accuracy cannot be verified.

Nutrition

Calories: 318kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 3gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 216mgPotassium: 96mgFiber: 1gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 2767IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 1mg

The nutritional information provided is based on third-party calculations and is an estimate only. Accurate nutritional facts will vary based on the particular brands used, portion sizes, measurement accuracy and more.

Keyword cream cheese, cream cheese frosting, cupcakes, fall, Hallowe’en, pumpkin, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, Thanksgiving
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