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–+ servings

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting
These pumpkin spice cupcakes are soft, tender and packed with all the pumpkin spice flavor!!  Made with both pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice, these easy pumpkin cupcakes are then topped off with the BEST homemade cinnamon cream cheese frosting. The perfect fall dessert for every pumpkin lover!
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes
Serving Size 18 Cupcakes

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cupcakes

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2/3 cup butter, room temperature
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3.5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream

Instructions

For the Pumpkin Cupcakes

  • To make these Pumpkin cupcakes, start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees and either spray your muffin tins with non stick cooking spray or line with cupcake wrappers
  • Next, combine the oil, brown sugar, white sugar eggs, vanilla extract, maple syrup and spices in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer. Add the pumpkin to your mixing bowl and mix to combine. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt and then slowly incorporate into the wet ingredients until well combined.
  • Spoon pumpkin mixture into muffin cups 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
    Remove from oven and let cool 1 minute in the tins before moving cupcakes to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

  • For the cinnamon cream cheese frosting, in a large mixing bowl and using an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Mix in 1-2 tablespoons of milk until you reach the desired consistancy for your frosting.
    Add cinnamon, vanilla and salt to the mixture and then slowly add in the sifted powdered sugar in batches until all has been incorporated. Once cupcakes have completely cooled, frost using a piping bag, zip top bag with a frosting coupling or just a good ol' butter knife.

Notes

  • Don't over mix your pumpkin cupcake batter.  Once run your mixer long enough to incorporate the ingredients to avoid tough or dense cupcakes.
  • Use a small measuring cup or an ice cream scooper to add your batter to your cupcake tins. This way your cupcakes are all the same size with none of the mess.
  • Sift your powdered sugar into your cream cheese mixture.  No one likes lumpy frosting.
  • Cool completely before frosting your cupcakes otherwise the frosting will melt away and it will be a mess and you will be sad.
  • Keep the frosting cool. Cream cheese frosting can be a bit grouchy at times but if you keep it cool and even pop it in the refrigerator for a spell, it’s just fine.