Pumpkin Cupcakes featuring flavor-packed cinnamon-cream cheese frosting, real pumpkin, and an incredible blend of seasonal spices.
Looking for more delicious pumpkin treats? Try this Pumpkin Cake or Pumpkin Cookies next!
Pumpkin Cupcakes
I first tried these Pumpkin Cupcakes at a party years ago, and I was instantly hooked. My friend changed the recipe from Taste of Home magazine, and even though I tried other versions, nothing compared. After making a few adjustments, these cupcakes became my all-time favorite.
With perfect pumpkin spice flavor, great texture, and tasty cinnamon-cream cheese frosting, these cupcakes are the best.
If you want something easier than a layered cake, these simple Pumpkin Cupcakes are the perfect fall treat and will be a hit wherever you serve them.
Ingredients In Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Butter: Soften to room temperature for easier mixing.
- White & Brown Sugar: Lightly pack the brown sugar when measuring.
- Eggs: Give the cupcakes structure and help them rise.
- Pumpkin: Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, make your own by mixing regular milk with vinegar.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor.
- Flour: Spoon and level the flour to prevent dense cupcakes.
- Spices: Make your own pumpkin pie spice or buy it!
- Baking Agents: Help the cupcakes rise.
- Frosting: Soften the cream cheese and butter to room temperature for smooth mixing.
How To Make Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Preheat Oven: Heat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
- Wet Ingredients: Mix the wet ingredients together.
- Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients.
- Combine and Bake: Mix the dry ingredients into the wet, taking turns with the buttermilk. Spoon the batter into the liners.
- Bake: Bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Make and Frost: Beat the frosting ingredients together. Once the cupcakes are cool, frost them.
Quick Tip
Can I use this batter in a cake? Yes, but it’s easier to use the Pumpkin Carrot Cake recipe instead, as it’s similar and also includes cream cheese frosting.
The Best Cream Cheese Frosting
This rich, creamy frosting is great for pumpkin cupcakes, blending cream cheese with sweet powdered sugar and touches of vanilla and cinnamon.
- Soften Ingredients: Use cream cheese and butter at room temperature for easier mixing.
- Mix Well: Beat until completely smooth to avoid lumps.
- Adjust Sweetness: Add more powdered sugar if you want it sweeter.
- Spice it Up: Add more cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice for extra flavor.
- Storage: Refrigerate if not used right away; re-whip before frosting.
Storage
Storing Pumpkin Cupcakes
- At Room Temp: Store completely cooled, unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days.
- In the Fridge: For longer storage, keep unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezing: You can freeze the un-frosted cupcakes, but not the frosted ones.
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
- Place them on a sheet pan and freeze for 30 minutes.
- Transfer to a container, label, and date. They can be stored for up to 3 months.
More Amazing Pumpkin Treats
- Bakery Style Pumpkin Cookies with cream cheese frosting
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with a streusel topping
- Pecan Streusel Pumpkin Pie perfect fall dessert
- Pumpkin Coffee Cake simple and delicious
- Healthy Pumpkin Bread made with greek yogurt
Pumpkin Cupcakes
The most delightful Pumpkin Cupcakes, topped with a luscious and easy cinnamon-cream cheese frosting. Simply irresistible!
Equipment
- Muffin pan with liners
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar lightly packed
- 3 large eggs
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
- 1 cup buttermilk divided, see note 1
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-1/3 cups flour see note 2
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add in the pumpkin, 1/4 cup buttermilk, and vanilla extract.
- In another bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three parts, alternating each addition with 1/4 cup buttermilk to use up the remaining 3/4 cup buttermilk.
- Fill the prepared muffin pan liners 3/4 full, this batter should make exactly enough for 24 cupcakes. Bake in the center of the oven for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy (see note 3). Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Beat until completely smooth.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes. Best within 2–3 days.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: To make homemade buttermilk, just add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup regular milk and let sit for 5 minutes.
Note 2: When measuring the flour, be sure to spoon the cup full and level so you aren’t adding in too much or too little flour. Too much flour and you’ll get dense cupcakes, and too little flour and these cupcakes will likely sink and be too wet. Mix the dry and wet ingredients until just combined. Overmixing will result in dense cupcakes.
Note 3: For the perfect frosting, make sure the cream cheese and butter are softened at room temperature. I leave both at room temperature on the counter for 1–2 hours before making the frosting. Avoid rushing the softening of the cream cheese and butter or you’ll end up with grainy and clumpy frosting.
Storage: Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to a week. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months—just wrap each cupcake tightly in plastic wrap and foil.
Source: Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 205mg | Potassium: 118mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 3110IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This has to be one of the easiest and tastiest cupcakes, ever! I made this for a church dinner. Everyone wanted the recipe!!! I did make this with GF flour, and used salted butter. FANTASTIC!! I’m off to try more of your recipes. Thank you!!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Yay! Thanks so much Michelle!
Came out perfect! Made them by request. Didn’t think we would like pumpkin cupcakes but we all loved them even without frosting!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much for your comment Lisa!
Y’all, these are amazing! Made them for a potluck and people were fighting over who got to take the last few home. I got rave reviews from every single person who had one (as well as my 5 year old). Incredibly moist and the frosting is lick the bowl addictively good. I’m surprised there aren’t more reviews. Don’t sleep on this recipe!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Heather!