Pumpkin Cupcakes

Pumpkin may be a seasonal flavor, but you can eat these cupcakes all year round!

Is there a more quintessential Fall food than the beloved pumpkin? We carve them at Halloween and toast their delicious seeds in the oven. We can’t have Thanksgiving without Pumpkin Pie or Fall/Winter Holiday celebrations without the Pumpkin Roll! There’s just something about that bright orange color and all the things we think of to do with pumpkin (muffins, soups, pasta sauces!) that just screams Fall!!

But why do we deprive ourselves of all-things pumpkin throughout the rest of the year? Even though pumpkin harvest season is generally from mid-September through November, canned pumpkin–or pumpkin puree–is always available in the grocery store. And chances are you already have the rest of the ingredients for The Best Pumpkin Cupcakes in your pantry and fridge, so there’s nothing stopping you from whipping up a batch right now!

These cupcakes are soft and so moist–you’ll just love their airy texture. And the taste! A burst of sweet, spiced pumpkin flavor in every bite. The cream cheese frosting adds a deliciously smooth and tangy topping that makes these cupcakes simply irresistible. And speaking of simple, although there are a lot of ingredients, these Pumpkins Cupcakes are easy to make.

Cupcakes are a crowdpleaser, for sure. Their size makes them the perfect way to indulge your sweet tooth after a meal, but it also makes them great for packing in lunches or an afternoon snack. And while all kinds of cupcakes are delicious, these Pumpkin Cupcakes are really special because no matter what time of year we eat them, their flavor brings that warm, comforting feeling we associate with the Fall; they might also bring about that feeling of excitement you get anticipating your first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season; if you’re craving that, you might want to try this: Copycat Starbuck’s Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

The Key to Perfect Cupcakes

A light and airy cake, a rich and creamy frosting–these are our cupcake goals! And there are few things you need to do to ensure that your Pumpkin Cupcakes reach those goals every single time.

First, make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature, including your butter and eggs and the cream cheese you’ll use for the frosting; this allows for all of the ingredients to blend together easily to produce a smooth batter (we don’t want any lumps!). Next, measure everything out carefully; unlike other kinds of cooking where there is more leeway, baking requires precision and not measuring the ingredients carefully can result in disaster. Finally, don’t over mix your batter–just gently incorporate your dry ingredients into the wet ones, until everything is combined and smooth. Remember, baking is science so scientific things like temperature and measurement matter!

Ingredients

• 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Pinch of ground cloves
• ¾ cup canned pumpkin
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 8 ounces cream cheese cold and cubed

How to Make The Best Pumpkin Cupcakes

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners for the cupcakes.

Step 2: In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

Step 3: In a larger bowl, whisk together pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well.

Step 4: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture in two parts until just combined, avoiding overmixing.

Step 5: Fill each liner two-thirds full with batter. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 6: Beat butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Gradually add cream cheese and beat until creamy.

Step 7: Use a piping bag or spatula to apply frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Refrigerate if not serving immediately.

FAQs & Tips

Serving Suggestions

The Pumpkin Cupcakes are so perfect, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make them even better. Try drizzling some Dairy-free Pumpkin Spice Syrup over the top of the cupcakes before frosting them to create an even more moist and pumpkin-y cake. You can also add some delicious things into the batter, such as chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans work particularly well) or chocolate chips or golden raisins (or a combo of all three). And if you want even more Fall flavor, instead of the buttercream in this recipe, try topping the cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting.

Pumpkin is surprisingly good with other flavors that you might not think of to pair with it…I’ve frosted these cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream and also with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting and both were really delicious. And if (or should I say when) you make Pumpkin Cupcakes for Halloween or (and?) Thanksgiving, try serving them with fresh apple slices (after all, Fall is apple season, too) and this Healthy Pumpkin Pie Dip!