Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Let your friends in on it:

Facebook

Pinterest

Yummly

Email

Full of warm seasonal spices, these pumpkin spice cupcakes are topped with a tangy cinnamon cream cheese frosting and will be on repeat in your kitchen all pumpkin season long.

Now that we’re well into the month of October, it is socially acceptable to say that pumpkin season has arrived. Without shame, I fully immerse myself in sweater weather and look forward to roaming store aisles for the latest pumpkin goodies and trying the newest pumpkin treats at the establishments I frequent the most.

It is only suiting that I share my current favorite pumpkin spice cupcake recipe that I’ve made at least half a dozen times since the official beginning of fall in September!

Though I’m always a sucker for a classic pumpkin spice cupcake & cream cheese frosting combo, I opted to spice things up just a tad and topped these cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. The extra cinnamon in the topping adds just a little something special and will even get the eye-rollers into the spirit of pumpkin season.

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Begin by sifting together the dry ingredients into a large bowl. I bought the sieve pictured below from a company that is no longer in business, but here’s the link to one that’s VERY similar.

Then, whisk together just to combine.

In a small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients – pumpkin puree and sour cream.

When roaming the grocery store aisle, make sure to buy pure pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie mix. They are not the same thing. If you’re unsure, check the ingredients list. The ingredients list should only contain one ingredient – pumpkin.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy and pale in color.

Add in the eggs, one at a time. As a general rule, when working with cake batter, the mixer should be reduced to low speed once eggs are added. This prevents over mixing, which can destabilize the protein in the eggs and result in a dense and flat cake.

Pro-tip: To make sure the eggs are evenly distributed in the batter without running the risk of over mixing, make sure to use room temperature eggs. To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, submerge them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes before using.  

To the butter mixture, add half the flour mixture, followed by the pumpkin mixture, and finally, the remaining flour mixture.

Divide the batter among a lined muffin tray, filling each well about ¾ full.

Bake at 350°F for 22 to 24 minutes and allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to completely cool.

Make the cinnamon cream cheese frosting by beating together cream cheese, butter, salt, vanilla, powdered sugar, and cinnamon.

Frost the cooled cupcakes and enjoy!

To frost these cupcakes, I used Ateco Tip #887, which can also be seen used for my Key Lime Cupcakes.

Print Recipe

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes

Yields 12 cupcakes

1 batch of coffee cream cheese frosting is 3367 calories

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Cooling time30 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 1 unfrosted cupcake

Calories: 214kcal

Author: Patty K-P

Ingredients

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1/2 cup full fat sour cream, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature

Coffee Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 3/4 teaspoon instant coffee granules
• Up to 3 teaspoons milk

Instructions

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350°F and line a standard muffin pan with paper liners.
• Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix the pumpkin puree with the sour cream until combined. Set aside. 
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
• Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs, one at a time, adding only the next egg once just a streak of the last egg remains. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the vanilla, and mix on low just to combine. 
• With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the pumpkin mixture, and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Once the last addition of the flour mixture has been added, mix until just a few streaks of flour remain. Remove bowl from the mixer and mix by hand using a rubber spatula until no flour streaks remain.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin pan (about 3/4 full). Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Allow to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to completely cool.
• Frost with cinnamon cream cheese frosting (recipe follows).

Coffee Cream Cheese Frosting

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat to combine. Add the salt and vanilla and beat to combine. 
• Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar. Once all the sugar has been added, increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth and fluffy. Add the coffee and 1 teaspoon of milk and beat on medium until combined. Stop here if you're happy with the consistency. For a thinner consistency, add more milk.

Notes

Note: For a smooth frosting where the coffee granules are not visible, heat 1/4 cup of milk in the microwave for a few seconds, just until warmed. Dissolve the coffee granules in the milk and add the mixture 1 teaspoon at a time after adding the sugar until desired consistency is reached.

 

*Pro-tip: To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, submerge them in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes before using. 

Note: This page contains affiliate links that help make The PKP Way possible. Should you choose to purchase anything via those links, I will receive a small commission paid by Amazon, not you.

Let your friends in on it:

Facebook

Pinterest

Yummly

Email