Description
Cozy and moist Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes topped with luscious, tangy Cream Cheese Frosting. Bursting with warm autumn spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger, these tender cupcakes deliver the perfect fall flavor in every bite. Ideal for seasonal celebrations or a comforting treat any day.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcake Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Your Oven and Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners to ensure easy cleanup and even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger until evenly combined to create a well-spiced base.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Fold Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, folding gently until just combined, taking care not to overmix to keep the cupcakes tender.
- Fill Cupcake Liners and Bake: Spoon the batter evenly into the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool Completely Before Frosting: Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, ensuring the frosting will hold its shape.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract or lemon juice, beating until fluffy and creamy. Adjust consistency with more sugar or a splash of milk if needed.
- Frost and Serve: Use a piping bag or spatula to generously frost each cooled cupcake with the cream cheese frosting. Garnish as desired and enjoy!
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs, cream cheese, and butter for the smoothest batter and fluffiest frosting.
- Fold the batter gently to avoid overmixing and resulting toughness.
- Start checking cupcake doneness at 18 minutes to prevent overbaking.
- If frosting is too soft, chill it in the refrigerator for 15–30 minutes before using.
- Use freshly ground spices like cinnamon and nutmeg for the best flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake with frosting
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
Keywords: pumpkin spice, cupcakes, cream cheese frosting, autumn dessert, fall baking