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You will fall in love with these pumpkin cupcakes with pumpkin frosting! They are soft, moist, and have the perfect pumpkin spice flavor. Pumpkin spice cupcakes are a favorite fall time cupcake!
Are pumpkin cupcakes with pumpkin buttercream too much?
NAH! Definitely not.
Because when else is a good time to indulge in all things pumpkin except for in the fall?
How To Properly Measure Flour
Use a spoon to spoon the flour into the measuring cup. Then use a butter knife to level off the excess flour. Do not stick the measuring cup into the bag of flour and do not pack the flour into the cup – both will result in an increase in flour, making your baked goods dry.
Gluten free Pumpkin Cupcakes
We have made these cupcakes gluten free with awesome results by using King Arthur’s Gluten Free measure for measure flour. Substitute that flour as a one for one replacement.
How To Store Frosted or Unfrosted Cupcakes
If you’ll be frosting the cupcakes within 48 hours of baking them, store the unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container on the counter.
Once the cupcakes are frosted, store them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.
How To Freeze Cupcakes
You can freeze frosted or unfrosted cupcakes. This method applies to both.
Freeze them on a baking sheet, once frozen, wrap each in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe container. To thaw, remove the plastic wrap and place inside a large container, then place them in the fridge overnight.
Frostings to Pair with Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Salted Caramel Frosting
- Chocolate Frosting
- Spiced Buttercream Frosting
- Pumpkin Frosting
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Pumpkin Cupcakes
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, 1/2 cup
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
Pumpkin Frosting
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 & 1/2 cups
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 5-7 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners.
- In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar and butter, beat together using an electric mixer until creamy, 1 minute.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture after each one.
- Add in the pumpkin puree, mixing by hand with a spatula.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, do not dump it in, rather take spoonfuls of the flour mixture and gently shake it over the wet ingredients, as if you were sifting in the flour. Fold in the mixture until no flour remains. Repeat with the other half of the flour, folding it in and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl to incorporate everything.
- Evenly divide the batter among the muffin pan, filling each 2/3 full. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool for about 3 minutes in the pan, then take them out and allow them to cool on a cooling rack. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before adding the frosting.
Pumpkin Frosting
- Place room temperature butter (and vegetable shortening if using) in a mixing bowl. Beat using an electric mixer until smooth, 1 minute.
- Add in the pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. Mix using a spatula.
- Add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing with a spatula at first so the powered sugar doesn’t puff up everywhere. Once all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, beat the buttercream using an electric mixer, 1-2 minutes or until smooth.
- Transfer frosting to a piping bag and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Can’t wait to make!!!!!
What size can of pumpkin is used for this recipe?
There are two sizes of cans where I shop and I’m not sure which size to buy.
Recipe sounds great and I can’t wait to try it once I know the amount of pumpkin to use.
Thanks, Judy
Hi Judy! The smaller can – usually 15 oz – will be enough for the cupcakes!
Do you use salted or unsalted butter? Thank you!
Unsalted
5+ could give it 10 I would ! Love them without the icing as well!!
These are to die for! Can’t decide if we like them better with pumpkin or chocolate frosting – I just use both!!
These are so delicious! Admittedly I haven’t tried them together yet, just a taste of the unfrosted cupcake my son snuck, and a taste of the frosting before frosting them, hah! This frosting will be my go-to for pumpkin baked goods though, I’m not a huge cream cheese frosting person so this is perfect!