You know that first day of fall? The one where you can finally wear a sweater without immediately regretting it. That’s my favorite day of the year.
The air just smells different, and all I want to do is bake something that makes my entire house smell like cinnamon and spices. If you feel the same way, then you are in the right place.
I’m going to show you how to make the most amazing, super moist pumpkin cupcakes you’ve ever had. Seriously. And the cream cheese frosting is so good you’ll want to just eat it with a spoon. Forget those dry, boring cupcakes from the store. We can do way better, and it’s actually really easy.
What You’ll Need
Okay, let’s talk ingredients. The key to making these cupcakes amazing instead of just “meh” is using the right stuff. Don’t eyeball this part. Baking is like a science experiment, and measurements really, really matter.
One quick thing: please make sure your butter, eggs, and cream cheese are actually at room temperature. I know it’s annoying to wait, but it makes a huge difference. Just set them on the counter for an hour or so before you start.
For the Pumpkin Cupcakes
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 1¾ cups |
| Baking soda | 1 tsp |
| Baking powder | ½ tsp |
| Salt | ½ tsp |
| Ground cinnamon | 1½ tsp |
| Ground ginger | ½ tsp |
| Ground nutmeg | ¼ tsp |
| Ground cloves | ¼ tsp |
| Large eggs | 2 |
| Granulated sugar | ½ cup |
| Light brown sugar | ½ cup, packed |
| Pumpkin purée | 1 cup |
| Vegetable oil | ½ cup |
| Vanilla extract | 1 tsp |
A note on the pumpkin: Try to get 100% pure pumpkin purée, not the pumpkin pie filling. The pie filling already has sugar and spices, and it will throw everything off. I usually just grab the Libby’s brand because it’s always consistent.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cream cheese | 8 oz block |
| Unsalted butter | ½ cup (1 stick) |
| Powdered sugar | 3-4 cups |
| Vanilla extract | 1 tsp |
| Salt | A tiny pinch |
Here’s the deal with the frosting. You have to use the block-style cream cheese, not the stuff in a tub. The tub kind has more water and will make your frosting runny and sad. Also, make sure the butter is unsalted. If all you have is salted, just leave out the extra pinch of salt.
Tools You’ll Probably Need
You don’t need a bunch of fancy stuff for this. Most of this is probably already hiding in your kitchen somewhere.
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Muffin tin | For the cupcakes |
| Cupcake liners | No-stick magic |
| Mixing bowls | One large, one medium |
| Whisk & Spatula | For mixing |
| Measuring cups/spoons | For accuracy |
| Stand or Hand Mixer | For the frosting |
| Sifter | For lump-free flour |
| Piping bag & tip | To make ’em pretty |
If you don’t have a piping bag, don’t sweat it. You can just scoop the frosting into a Ziploc bag and snip off a corner. Or honestly, just use a knife to spread it on. They’ll still taste amazing.
Pro Tips From My Kitchen
I’ve made these cupcakes more times than I can count, and I’ve made a few mistakes along the way. Here are a few things I learned so you don’t have to.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter. This is the number one cupcake killer. Once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix them until you just don’t see any more flour streaks. A few little lumps are totally fine. Overmixing makes the cupcakes tough and dense instead of light and fluffy.
- The Toothpick Test is Your Best Friend. Ovens are weird and can run hot or cold. The baking time is a guideline, not a rule. To check if they’re done, stick a toothpick into the center of a cupcake. If it comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs, they’re ready. If there’s wet batter, give them another two minutes.
- Get That Frosting Really Smooth. The secret to creamy, non-lumpy frosting is to beat the room-temperature butter and cream cheese together first. Beat them on medium-high speed for a good 2-3 minutes until they are completely smooth and combined. Then, and only then, should you start adding the powdered sugar a little at a time.
- Fill Liners the Right Way. You want to fill your cupcake liners about two-thirds of the way full. This is the sweet spot for getting a nice, rounded dome that doesn’t spill over the sides or look all flat and sad. A large cookie scoop is perfect for getting the same amount in each one.
How to Make These Amazing Cupcakes
Alright, let’s get to the fun part. We’ll do this in two stages: making the cupcakes and then whipping up that glorious frosting while they cool.
Part 1: The Pumpkin Cupcakes
Step 1: First thing’s first, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Then, line a 12-cup muffin tin with your cupcake liners. Simple enough.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together all your dry ingredients. That’s the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Whisking them now helps spread the spices out so you don’t get a random mouthful of just cinnamon.
Step 3: In a separate, larger bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until they’re well combined and look a little lighter in color.
Step 4: Now, add the pumpkin purée, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to the sugar and egg mixture. Whisk it all up until it’s smooth. It’s going to smell so good already.
Step 5: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Using a spatula, gently fold everything together until it’s just combined. Remember what I said about not overmixing! Stop as soon as the flour disappears.
Step 6: Carefully divide the batter among the 12 cupcake liners. They should be about 2/3 full.
Step 7: Bake for 18-22 minutes. Do the toothpick test around the 18-minute mark to see how they’re doing.
Step 8: Once they’re done, let them cool in the muffin tin for about 5 minutes. Then, move them to a wire rack to cool completely. Don’t even think about frosting them while they’re warm unless you want a melty mess.
Part 2: The Cream Cheese Frosting
Step 1: While the cupcakes are cooling, let’s make the frosting. In a large bowl, use your mixer to beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until they are super smooth and creamy. (This is the important part I mentioned in the pro tips!)
Step 2: Turn the mixer down to low and slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Wait for each cup to be mixed in before adding the next. This will prevent a sugar explosion all over your kitchen.
Step 3: Once all the sugar is in, add the vanilla and the tiny pinch of salt. Turn the mixer up to medium-high and beat for another 2-3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Step 4: Once your cupcakes are 100% cool to the touch, you can frost them. Use a piping bag or a knife and get creative. A little sprinkle of cinnamon on top looks nice, too.
Substitutions and Fun Variations
This recipe is pretty great as is, but you can definitely play around with it.
- For a Gluten-Free Version: You can swap the all-purpose flour for a good quality “cup-for-cup” gluten-free baking flour.
- Add Some Crunch: Fold in about ½ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter at the very end.
- Chocolate Lover? Add ½ cup of mini chocolate chips to the batter. Pumpkin and chocolate is a surprisingly awesome combo.
- Maple Frosting: Instead of vanilla in the frosting, add 1-2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup for an extra fall flavor. You might need a little extra powdered sugar to get the right thickness.
Storing Your Cupcakes
Here’s the thing with cream cheese frosting—it needs to be refrigerated.
Once the cupcakes are frosted, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They taste best at room temperature, so I like to pull one out about 20-30 minutes before I plan to eat it.
If you want to make them ahead, you can bake the cupcakes and store them (unfrosted) in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days. The frosting can be made and kept in the fridge for up to a week. Just let it soften a bit and give it a quick whip before you use it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Why did my cupcakes sink in the middle?
Ans: This usually happens if they’re underbaked or if the oven door was opened too many times while they were baking, which makes the temperature drop.
Q2. My frosting is too sweet. How can I fix it?
Ans: The pinch of salt really helps cut the sweetness. You can also add a tiny squeeze of lemon juice, which brightens it up without making it taste like lemon.
Q3. Can I use less oil?
Ans: The oil is what makes these cupcakes super moist, so I wouldn’t reduce it by too much. You could try substituting half of the oil with unsweetened applesauce, but the texture will change a little bit.
Q4. I don’t have all the individual spices. Can I use pumpkin pie spice?
Ans: Absolutely! Use 2½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead of the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. It’s a great shortcut.
Wrapping Up
See? That wasn’t so hard. You now have everything you need to make some seriously delicious pumpkin cupcakes that will make your whole house smell like a cozy fall dream.
There’s something really satisfying about baking from scratch, and this is the perfect recipe to get you started. So go give it a try!
When you do, I’d love to hear about it. Drop a comment below and let me know how they turned out, or if you tried any fun variations! I love hearing about what’s happening in your kitchens.
