These super moist pumpkin cupcakes are easy to make, perfectly pumpkin spiced, and finished with tangy cream cheese frosting. I adapted this recipe from my very favorite pumpkin cake. They’re a must-try during the fall season!
Pumpkin cupcakes deserve their own spotlight, right?
I received some questions about turning my pumpkin cake into cupcakes, so I figure a completely separate post for pumpkin cupcakes would be helpful. Compared to cake, cupcakes cook faster and are easier to decorate, transport, and serve. LOVE THAT!
These are the BEST Pumpkin Cupcakes
And I have a list to prove it!
- Easy to prepare
- Simple, basic ingredients
- Moist and soft
- Heightened pumpkin spice flavor (just like pumpkin pie!)
- Sweetened with brown sugar
- Topped with tangy cream cheese frosting
- Fun to decorate! 🙂
Let’s Compare
Let’s compare these pumpkin cupcakes to my beloved pumpkin muffins recipe. There’s definitely a few differences!
- Ease: Both pumpkin cupcake recipes are super low maintenance. You don’t need a mixer to make either batter (though you could certainly use one!) and both batters come together in minutes.
- Actual Recipes: The recipes themselves are pretty similar. Here I cut out the milk and reduced the flour to make up for less liquid. You only need 1 cup of flour, so you are basically guaranteed mega moist cupcakes. There’s also slightly less pumpkin because it can weigh down your baked good (totally fine in a hearty, slightly denser muffin though).
- Flavor: The flavors are pretty identical, including spices.
- Texture: But here’s the real difference—these pumpkin cupcakes are not quite as dense. They’re incredibly moist and soft, but have more of a cake and cupcake texture and less of a muffin texture.
My tip: As with most of my cupcake recipes, fill the liners only about 2/3 full. This is about 3 full Tablespoons of batter per cupcake. (See 9 more tips for baking the BEST cupcakes!)
Ingredients in Pumpkin Cupcakes
Because this homemade pumpkin cupcake recipe is based off of my pumpkin cake, you’ll notice the ingredients are almost exactly the same. In a nutshell, we halve the cake recipe to yield about 12 cupcakes. The spices and vanilla extract aren’t completely halved. Rather, I kept both on the higher side for plenty of FLAVOR!
Here’s what you need:
- Flour: All-purpose flour serves as the base. It’s sturdy enough to support the thick batter.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These help the cupcakes rise.
- Cinnamon & Pumpkin Pie Spice: Instead of prepared pumpkin pie spice, you can use 1/2 teaspoon each: ground allspice and ground ginger AND 1/4 teaspoon each: ground nutmeg and ground cloves. I love using homemade pumpkin pie spice here!
- Salt & Vanilla Extract: Both add flavor. Try making your own homemade vanilla extract sometime.
- Oil: Oil, as opposed to butter, guarantees a moist crumb.
- Eggs: Eggs provide structure and moisture.
- Sugar: I only use brown sugar to sweeten these cupcakes because it’s the best!
- Pumpkin: Use 1 cup of pumpkin puree in this recipe, then browse my pumpkin recipes to use up the rest of the can.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream cheese frosting is a pumpkin cupcake’s BFF.
Here’s what I love most about this duo: cream cheese frosting doesn’t take away from the pumpkin flavor. Rather, it lets the pumpkin cupcakes shine. Cream cheese frosting is not selfish. That’s a true friend, is it not?! 😉 We’d have a different story with, say, vanilla buttercream because it’s too sweet, too heavy, and too overpowering.
This cream cheese frosting will hold a little shape if you pipe it, though a simple swirl with a knife works too. I like to use a round tip for piping, like Ateco 808 large round because it resembles a big puffy cloud on top. It’s the same frosting and piping tip I use for carrot cake cupcakes, too.
If you really want to go wild, try this brown butter cream cheese frosting from my banana layer cake, this cinnamon cream cheese frosting from my banana cupcakes, this pumpkin spice cream cheese frosting from my pumpkin bars, or this salted caramel frosting. Or use chai spice buttercream—another favorite fall flavor!
For decoration/garnish, we love using these little pumpkins. Or you can try these festive fall sprinkles or mellowcreme pumpkins. We also used these cupcakes as the perfect base to decorate Halloween cupcakes!
More Perfect Pumpkin Recipes
- Pumpkin Muffins & Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies & Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Pumpkin Roll
- Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies & Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies
- Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- Mini Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Muffins
- Recipes to Make With Leftover Pumpkin Puree
For even more inspiration, here are my 30+ best pumpkin dessert recipes.
Print
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This is my favorite recipe for super moist and easy pumpkin spice cupcakes topped with delicious cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice*
- 1/2 cup (120ml) canola or vegetable oil*
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 cup (225g) canned pumpkin puree*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar, plus an extra 1/4 cup if needed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk the oil, eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin, and vanilla extract together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use a mixer or whisk until completely combined. Batter will be thick.
- Pour/spoon the batter into the liners—fill only 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add 3 confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. If you want the frosting a little thicker, add the extra 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar (I add it).
- Frost cooled cupcakes however you’d like. I used an Ateco 808 large round piping tip for these pictured cupcakes. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I recommend a cupcake carrier for storing and transporting decorated cupcakes.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Cupcakes can be made ahead 1 day in advance, covered, and stored at room temperature. Frosting can also be made 1 day in advance, covered, and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Leftover cupcakes keep well covered tightly in the refrigerator for 3 days. Frosted or unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-count Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Ateco 808 Piping Tip | Cupcake Carrier
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can find pumpkin pie spice in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have either and want to use individual spices, use 1/2 teaspoon each: ground allspice and ground ginger AND 1/4 teaspoon each: ground nutmeg and ground cloves. This is in addition to the 1 teaspoon of cinnamon—you will still add that.
- Oil: Instead of 1/2 cup of oil, try 1/4 cup (45g) unsweetened applesauce and 1/4 (60ml) cup oil. The cupcakes are just as moist.
- Pumpkin: I strongly recommend using canned pumpkin puree over homemade in this recipe, though 1 cup of homemade would work just fine. I found the flavor better with canned. I prefer Libby’s brand.
- Mini Cupcakes: For around 30 mini cupcakes, bake for about 12-13 minutes, same oven temperature.
- Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking the BEST cupcakes before you begin!
Hi Sally! You are my go-to for all holiday baking. Thank you for your presence! I’m in South Korea and brick cream cheese doesn’t exist here, only in the tubs. Is there a trick to firming up the cream cheese icing when made from a tub cream cheese? I’m not in love with buttercream, so this is my preferred icing.
Halloween cupcakes, here we come and then on to Christmas sugar cookies.
Hi Mary, in the U.S. block cream cheese is very different than the tubs and is the only cream cheese that will work for frosting. We have been told by readers outside the U.S. that cream cheese in a tub is different from ours and can work, but we have not tested it. Our best advice would be to give it a good stir before using, and you could also try adding a bit more confectioners’ sugar to help thicken if needed. Please let us know if you try it!
Made these today and the cake and the icing came out perfectly. Both totally delicious.
Everyone loved these cupcakes at my annual family halloween party. I loved that it made just 12, as I had other desserts as well. As always, this was a reliable and delicious recipe.
didn’t work, cupcakes didn’t cook properly and sunk
Hi Erin, if the cupcakes sank down a lot after baking, they could have been under-baked. A couple extra minutes in the oven should help for next time. Hope you give them another try!
Hi, would this work okay with an egg substitute like flaxmeal or applesauce? Thanks!
Hi Sasha, we haven’t tested this recipe with any egg substitutes but let us know if you try it!
I made these cupcakes with the suggested applesauce instead of oil and they were completely stuck to the liners 🙁 peeled off half the cupcake. Also, they were more of a muffin consistency. How do I fix this?
Hi RLK, you will lose some of that richness when you skip the oil (fat). Did you use all applesauce instead of oil? You can replace up to 1/4 cup of it. With really moist cupcakes, the brand of liners really makes a difference on whether or not the cupcakes will stick. I really like using the brand PaperChef parchment liners.
Made these for our Halloween party and OMG. These were some of the best cupcakes ever. The frosting recipe was to die for. Will absolutely be making these again.
These Pumpkin Cupcakes were absolutely delicious! So happy to have found this recipe from your website, Sally. Easy to follow recipe with simple ingredients, moist, light and not sweet. The best part of this recipe yields only a dozen of cupcakes. It’s a keeper…you bet I will be baking batches and batches for the Thanksgiving holidays. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Excellent cupcakes! The next time I bake them can I substitute maple syrup instead of vanilla in the frosting?
Can’t see why not!