Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
If you’re craving super simple cupcakes that just scream fall, these are the ones for you. The taste and flavor of these Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are certain to bring a smile to your face.
Servings 10 Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 cup flour
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. ground ginger
- ¼ tsp. ground cloves
- ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Optional garnish: candy corn or pumpkins, ground cinnamon, freshly ground nutmeg
Frosting:
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup ( 1 stick) butter, softened
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare a muffin tin with paper cupcake liners; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt,
cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, eggs,
vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour this wet mixture into the dry mixture
and stir until combined. - Scoop the batter into 12 cupcake liners for regular sized cupcakes, or 10 liners for
slightly larger cupcakes, depending on the size of your muffin pan. Fill only to about 2/3
of the way full. - Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean
when inserted into the center of a cupcake. - Cool the cupcakes completely to room temperature.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and cream
cheese for the frosting. Beat on medium-high speed for at least 1 minute, until well
combined and fluffy. - Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture. Mix with the
electric mixer on low speed until the powdered sugar is incorporated, then beat on
medium-high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy. - Frost the cupcakes by spreading or piping the frosting generously onto each cupcake.
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until serving.
- Makes 10-12 cupcakes
Notes
The amount of sugar used in the frosting depends on the taste of the person making the recipe.
I like a less sweet frosting, so I use only 2 cups of sugar. Others might like a more sweet frosting
and should use 3 cups. I feel like 2 ½ cups is a good middle of the road sweetness, so that is
what I call for in the recipe. Feel free to encourage your readers to experiment. I will say that
the cupcakes are not extremely sweet. They have a more mild sweetness, so the sweet frosting
is a perfect compliment.
I like a less sweet frosting, so I use only 2 cups of sugar. Others might like a more sweet frosting
and should use 3 cups. I feel like 2 ½ cups is a good middle of the road sweetness, so that is
what I call for in the recipe. Feel free to encourage your readers to experiment. I will say that
the cupcakes are not extremely sweet. They have a more mild sweetness, so the sweet frosting
is a perfect compliment.