Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe
Pumpkin cupcakes are a fall classic, but even classics can be improved with a little testing. I first shared this recipe back in 2017, and while it quickly became a reader favorite, I’ve since perfected it with one small tweak: halving the butter and adding oil for a moister crumb, so your cupcakes stay soft and tender, even if they’re baked a touch too long.
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cups (150g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ cup (161g) brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup (50g) vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (227g) pumpkin puree
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz (226g) cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4-5 cups (454-567g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined.1 ¼ cups (150g) all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp salt, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- In a large mixing bowl, add the brown sugar, butter, and vegetable oil. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the mixture until it looks creamy and well blended, about 2 minutes.¾ cup (161g) brown sugar, ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, ¼ cup (50g) vegetable oil
- Add the eggs and pumpkin puree, mixing until everything is fully incorporated and smooth.2 large eggs, 1 cup (227g) pumpkin puree
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, and gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix just until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 18–24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before adding the frosting.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place room temperature unsalted butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer on medium and beat together for 1-2 minutes, until whipped and fluffy.8 oz (226g) cream cheese, ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- Add in the vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and cinnamon, beat again on low for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until everything is incorporated.1 tsp vanilla extract, 4-5 cups (454-567g) powdered sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- If the frosting is too thick, add a splash of milk or heavy cream, beat until creamy.
- Transfer to a piping bag and pipe onto the cupcakes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 483kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 207mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 54g | Vitamin A: 3827IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 1mg