Pumpkin Cupcakes
User Reviews
5
Pumpkin Cupcakes
Description
This recipe makes pumpkin cupcakes by combining dry ingredients including flour, sugars, leaveners, and a blend of pumpkin pie spice, ginger, and cinnamon. The wet ingredients feature pureed pumpkin, vegetable oil, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mixed gently to prevent toughness, the batter is portioned into liners and baked at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean.
The cupcakes have a moist, tender crumb with warm, distinct spice notes and a subtle pumpkin earthiness. The cream cheese frosting, made with butter, cream cheese, vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar, adds a creamy, slightly tangy topping that complements the spiced cake.
These cupcakes are suited for fall gatherings or dessert, offering a traditional festive flavor. Cooling the cupcakes completely before frosting is important to prevent melting. Careful flour measurement and ingredient temperature help ensure the best texture.
To maintain quality, measure flour by weighing or gentle spooning, use a preferred canned pumpkin brand for richness, and avoid overmixing. Let eggs come to room temperature for better incorporation. Sifting dry ingredients ensures a light crumb.
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Cupcakes:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pureed pumpkin 425g/15-ounce, canned
- 1 cup vegetable oil (240mL)
- 1 cup light brown sugar 220g, packed
- 4 egg large
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ⅔ cup butter softened, (151g, unsalted
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature (225g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted (480g)
Instructions
For the Pumpkin Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with paper cupcake liners. (If you only have 1 muffin pan, instructions will follow for how to bake in batches.)
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, ginger, and cinnamon.
- In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, oil, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture, and stir just until no streaks of flour remain.
- Fill the paper liners three-quarters full with batter (about ¼ cup). If baking with one pan, cover the remaining batter in the bowl and set aside.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If baking two pans at once, rotate the pans and swap oven racks after 12 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove and finish cooling on a wire rack. (If baking a second batch, let the pan cool for a few minutes once the baked cupcakes are removed, then line the pan again, fill, and bake as before.)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, beat butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the cream cheese. Beat on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times.
- Beat in the vanilla and salt just until combined.
- Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar. When fully combined, increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Place frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large closed star tip. Pipe over cooled cupcakes and decorate as desired.
Notes
- Measure flour by weight or gently spooned and leveled to avoid dense cupcakes.
- Choose thick canned pumpkin, like Libby, for better texture; blot watery brands if needed.
- Cool cupcakes fully before frosting to prevent melting the cream cheese topping.
- Use room temperature eggs for even batter mixing. Warm them quickly in water if needed.
- Sift dry ingredients to remove clumps and aerate for lighter cupcakes.
- Mix batter just until combined to avoid developing tough crumb.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 24cupcakes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 343 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 343kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 43g | 14% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 51mg | 17% |
| Sodium | 211mg | 9% |
| Potassium | 90mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 34g | 68% |
| Vitamin A | 3081IU | 62% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 51mg | 5% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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