These scrumptious and adorable moist cinnamon pumpkin cupcakes are topped with an easy five-ingredient cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Fall never tasted so good. I love to bring these to potlucks, family reunions, and neighborhood socials. They are the perfect individually proportioned sweet treat.
If your family is anything like mine, then they love pumpkin desserts. These sweet pumpkin cupcakes dressed in candy corn are no exception to that rule. The kids and hubby love the moist pumpkin cake with warm spices layered with a smooth whipped cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Do you have a favorite pumpkin dessert? This pumpkin cupcakes recipe, Pumpkin Dump Cake, Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Filling, and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are just a few of our favorites.
How to Make Pumpkin Cupcakes
Start by whisking together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground allspice in a medium bowl. Now in a separate large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla. Next, mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients in several increments mixing just until incorporated. Divide the pumpkin cupcake batter evenly into a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Bake in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Let the cupcakes fully cool before frosting.
Next, using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand mixer, beat your cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Then, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and powdered sugar one cup at a time. Mix until fully incorporated, scraping down the beaters and bowl several times. Pipe or frost the pumpkin cream cheese cupcakes after they have fully cooled. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- Always measure your flour properly. Spoon it into a measuring cup and level it off with a table knife. This assures that the proper amount of flour is in the recipe.
- Use canned pumpkin puree or fresh pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, as it has other spices, sugar, and salt already in it.
- If you are pushed for time, use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice.
- Always preheat the oven and load the cupcakes on the middle rack in the center of the oven.
- Use cupcake liners as they are easy to use, the cupcakes don’t stick to the pan, and they peel right off, making for quick consumption.
- The cupcakes should be completely cooled before frosting.
- If you are going to pipe the cinnamon cream cheese frosting, do not over-mix the cream cheese and butter. Mix just until creamy and smooth. Spoon the frosting into a piping bag and pipe over fully cooled cupcakes.
- If the frosting is too loose to pipe, cover and refrigerate for several hours.
- Because of the cinnamon cream cheese frosting, these pumpkin cupcakes should be stored in the refrigerator.
- Garnish with Candy Corn, Mellowcreme Pumpkins, or a sprinkle of cinnamon.
- To prepare in advance. Bake the cupcakes and cool completely. Freeze the unfrosted cupcakes in a sturdy freezer container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Prepare the frosting and frost the thawed cupcakes.
Can you use homemade pumpkin puree?
Yes, you sure can. I prefer to make pumpkin puree with pie pumpkins. They are sweeter, have more flavor, and have less moisture. They are the little pumpkins generally, between 3-8 lbs. You only need 1 cup for this recipe, but you can freeze any extra puree in an airtight container for up to 4 months.
Simply cut the pumpkin in half from the top down. Now scrape out the pumpkin seeds and stringy fibers, reserving the seeds if you are going to roast them. Next, place it cut-side down on a baking sheet and roast at 375 degrees for 1 – 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Then remove the pumpkin from the oven and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, scoop the pulp from the rind. Next, puree it in a food processor or simply mash it with an old-fashioned potato masher. Finally, place the pumpkin puree in a sieve and set it over a bowl to catch the moisture. Let the puree drain for at least 1 hour.
More Pumpkin Recipes
Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cupcakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- candy corn optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 count standard muffin (cupcake pan) with cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground allspice. In a separate large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in 3 increments, stirring just until combined between each one. Divide batter evenly between the cupcake holes, filling about 2/3 of the way up. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or hand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth, creamy, and lump-free. Mix in vanilla, cinnamon, and 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time until fully incorporated. Pipe or frost fully cooled cupcakes. If desired, top with candy corn.
Notes
- Always measure your flour properly. Spoon it into a measuring cup and level it off with a table knife. This assures that the proper amount of flour is in the recipe.
- Use canned pumpkin puree or fresh pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, as it has other spices, sugar, and salt already in it.
- If you are pushed for time, use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice.
- Always preheat the oven and load the cupcakes on the middle rack in the center of the oven.
- Use cupcake liners as they are easy to use, the cupcakes don't stick to the pan, and they peel right off, making for quick consumption.
- The cupcakes should be completely cooled before frosting.
- If you are going to pipe the cinnamon cream cheese frosting, do not over-mix the cream cheese and butter. Mix just until creamy and smooth. Spoon the frosting into a piping bag and pipe over fully cooled cupcakes.
- If the frosting is too loose to pipe, cover and refrigerate for several hours.
- Because of the cinnamon cream cheese frosting, these pumpkin cupcakes should be stored in the refrigerator.
- Garnish with Candy Corn, Mellowcreme Pumpkins, or a sprinkle of cinnamon.
- To prepare in advance. Bake the cupcakes and cool completely. Freeze the unfrosted cupcakes in a sturdy freezer container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Prepare the frosting and frost the thawed cupcakes.
Nutrition
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Erren
We love these pumpkin cupcakes. So delicious and easy to make. Fall baking is my favorite.
Pooja
These were so yummy and easy to make. Next time I make them I am going to add just a touch of nutmeg.
Krystle
These are classic and so good! I make them every year for Thanksgiving.
Cinny
Oh, pumpkin season is just around the corner! This is something my son would love. I am going to make it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks! Enjoy!
Edgar
I love the fact that it’s perfectly fine to use fresh pumpkin when making these cupcakes. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I love pumpkin.
Rose Ann Sales
Wow! That looks absolutely delicious and tasty! My kids really love cupcakes I’m sure they’ll love to try this!
Alita
This is perfect for pumpkin lovers and I am one of them! These pumpkin cupcakes are super delicious, soft, moist, and topped with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. That’s awesome.
Alicia
These pumpkin cupcakes were scrumptious. Of course pumpkin and cream cheese is like a match made in heaven. Thanks for the great recipe.
Oli
This looks so delicious that I can imagine how good it tastes right now! I am not much of a baker, but I think I will give this a try.
Beth Pierce
Thanks! Enjoy Oli!
Subarna
I never had pumpkin cupcakes, though I love cupcakes. And these cupcakes looks so tempting. I am sure this can be a perfect treat for pumpkin season.
Neely Moldovan
This is having me feel all the fall feelings. I can’t wait to make pumpkin things!
Christine
YUM! These look delicious! I bet that icing is the best part! Fall pumpkin spice season is just around the corner. I can’t wait to make these.
Bryan
Pumpkin season is almost here! I bet one of these would taste really good with a pumpkin ale.
Stephanie
I’m excited for all the flavors of fall! These look delicious because I love cream cheese frosting and the candy corn on top is such a cute addition.
Kidznk9s
Easy to make and my family LOVED them. I had left over frosting so I am making another batch tomorrow.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Carolyn! So glad that everyone liked them!!
Sandra
This is a really amazing fall treat! I love it!