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Pumpkin Cupcakes Recipe

Pumpkin Cupcakes Recipe
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★★★★★

4.9 from 10 reviews

Delight in these moist and flavorful Pumpkin Cupcakes topped with a luscious brown sugar cream cheese frosting. Perfect for fall gatherings, these cupcakes combine warm pumpkin spice with rich cream cheese frosting for a cozy treat that everyone will love.

Ingredients

Scale

Pumpkin Cupcakes

  • 170 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice (see notes below to make your own)
  • 225 g dark brown sugar
  • 280 g pumpkin purée (room temperature)
  • 75 g vegetable oil (room temperature)
  • 2 eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 200 g butter
  • 15 g dark brown sugar
  • 100 g full-fat cream cheese
  • 345 g powdered sugar (sifted)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Prepare Oven and Liners: Preheat the oven to 160ºC (320ºF) conventional and line a 12-cup cupcake tray with cupcake liners to ensure easy removal after baking.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and salt. Stir together until well mixed.
  3. Whisk Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the pumpkin purée, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract together until thoroughly combined and smooth.
  4. Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir with a whisk or rubber spatula until no dry flour remains and batter is smooth.
  5. Fill Cupcake Liners: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners in the tray, making sure each is about 2/3 full.
  6. Bake the Cupcakes: Bake in the preheated oven for 23-24 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating the cupcakes are fully cooked.
  7. Cool the Cupcakes: Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Then gently remove them from the tin and allow to cool completely before frosting.
  8. Prepare Frosting: If in Europe, place cream cheese between paper towels to drain excess moisture. Bring butter and cream cheese to room temperature (about 10 minutes), then cube the butter and sift the powdered sugar.
  9. Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter and dark brown sugar on high speed for 5 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl, then mix for an additional 2 minutes.
  10. Add Vanilla and Cream Cheese: Add vanilla extract and cream cheese to the butter mixture and beat on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth and fluffy.
  11. Incorporate Powdered Sugar: On low speed, add the sifted powdered sugar in two parts, making sure each portion is fully mixed before adding the next. Scrape the bowl sides and mix on medium speed for a final 2 minutes to ensure a creamy frosting.
  12. Frost the Cupcakes: Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a round tip (e.g., Wilton 1A) and pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Optionally, decorate with fondant pumpkins or a dusting of pumpkin spice or cinnamon.

Notes

  • Make your own pumpkin spice by mixing 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger, ¾ teaspoon ground cloves, and ¾ teaspoon ground allspice. Store in an airtight container in a cupboard.
  • To make homemade pumpkin purée, roast peeled and chopped pumpkin pieces in the oven until soft, then blend until smooth.
  • For drier climates like Europe, drain cream cheese between paper towels to remove excess moisture for better frosting texture.
  • Use room temperature ingredients to ensure smooth batter and frosting consistency.
  • Optionally, decorate with festive autumn-themed toppers or a sprinkle of extra pumpkin spice for presentation.

Nutrition

Keywords: cream cheese frosting, cupcakes, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, fall desserts

Find it online: https://kitchenwithkai.com/pumpkin-cupcakes-recipe/