Pumpkin season always makes me want to bake something, and this time I reached for my cupcake pan instead of making a loaf or pie. I wanted something soft, lightly spiced, and easy to share.

I mixed pumpkin puree with pumpkin pie spice and buttermilk for the batter, then topped the cooled cupcakes with a generous swirl of pumpkin-spiced cream cheese frosting. The smell while they baked was honestly one of my favorite parts.

The cupcakes are soft and moist with a mild pumpkin flavor and just the right amount of spice. The cream cheese frosting is smooth and slightly tangy, which works really well with the sweet pumpkin cake. If you have more pumpkin puree to use, Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies and Apple Cinnamon Crumb Muffins are two more recipes to try.

Pumpkin Cupcakes Recipe

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These pumpkin cupcakes are made with pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice for a soft, lightly spiced cake. They are finished with a pumpkin-spiced cream cheese frosting that is easy to pipe over the cooled cupcakes.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 22 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings: 12 Cupcakes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 350

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition

Ingredients

  

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For the Cupcakes

• 1⅓ cups 150 g cake flour
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 5½ tbsp 78 g unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup 160 g granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• ¾ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup 135 g pumpkin puree
• ⅓ cup 80 ml buttermilk

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• ¾ cup 180 g unsalted butter, softened
• 6 oz 170 g cream cheese, cold
• 2½ cups 325 g powdered sugar
• 1½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• Electric hand mixer
• Whisk
• Rubber spatula
• Measuring cups and spoons
• 12-cup muffin pan
• Cupcake liners
• Wire cooling rack
• Piping bag
• Star piping tip
• Oven

Method

 

1. Add the softened butter and granulated sugar to a mixing bowl and mix until light and creamy.
   
2. Add the egg and mix until well combined.
   
3. Add the vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
   
4. Add the pumpkin puree and mix until evenly incorporated.
   
5. In a separate bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and whisk until combined.
   
7. Add the buttermilk and mix until combined.
   
8. Continue mixing until a smooth pumpkin batter forms. Divide the batter evenly among the lined cupcake cups.
   
9. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
   
10. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
    
11. For the frosting, beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy, then add the powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and pumpkin puree and beat until smooth and fluffy.
    
12. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe it onto the cooled cupcakes.
    
13. Finish with neat swirls of frosting and serve the pumpkin cupcakes.
    

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 4gFat: 18gSodium: 210mgFiber: 1gSugar: 34g

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

I like having this recipe around when I want to use pumpkin puree without committing to a whole pumpkin dessert. The cupcakes are easy to put together, and the cream cheese frosting gives them enough extra flavor to make them feel finished without needing much decoration. A few simple swirls on top and they are ready to serve.

Vamsi

I’ve always found joy in the kitchen. Since I was seven, cooking has been my favorite way to learn, create, and unwind. From baking sweet treats to exploring global flavors and brewing coffee, I’m always chasing my next delicious discovery.