Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Wow, it’s December already! The last week in November got away from me… looking back, it was a week of cooking, cleaning, cooking, shopping, cooking, eating. Now that my kitchen is no longer a whirlwind and my pants will button again, I can get back to baking and blogging.
I made this recipe for a function at work; the cake recipe came as a recommendation from one of my twitter followers. If I could locate the tweet, I would give them a little shout out, but unfortunately I deleted it by accident! Thanks for the recipe, Katie!
These pumpkin cupcakes are truly delightful…they are light, flavorful and super moist. The cinnamon cream cheese frosting made them even more amazing because the flavor combination was truly harmonious. If you have any leftover pumpkin from your holiday feast, definitely give these a whirl. I guarantee you will love ‘em! Just be warned, these were a contributing factor of all my pants fitting a tad too snug. Well, that and all the damn stuffing I shoved down my face!
Have a fabulous day! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Pumpkin Cupcakes
Yield: 20 cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the Pumpkin Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
2 (8) ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
2 lbs. confectioners’ sugar
1 TBS ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
For the Pumpkin Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
1. Using a mixer, blend the butter and cream cheese together until well combined.
2. Gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar until fully incorporated.
3. Finally mix in vanilla and cinnamon.
Notes:
- I used this large French Tip from Bake It Pretty to pipe the frosting. I love this piping tip more than words can express! The site is pretty darn awesome too!
- adapted from Martha Stewart
[pinit]
I realize you made this post awhile ago and the link to that tip no longer works. Any chance you have a brand name and number for it or can update the link? Loving your site! Thanks so much for your time.
K
Hi Karen,
Bake It Pretty changed owners a while ago, and I guess they don’t carry the tip anymore. This is the right one: http://www.etsy.com/listing/62673622/extra-large-french-pastry-tip-for
– Jamie
Thanks so much!
I made this over the weekend and they are AMAZING! Well received at work!
I do have a question about the frosting though…you indicate 2 POUNDS of confectioners’ sugar. Is that actually correct? I just added 2 cups because 2 pounds sounded a little excessive and I thought it would be too difficult to mix in.
Hi Stefanie,
I know it sounds like a lot, but I’ve made this frosting so often, I can make it in my sleep. You’re certainly welcome to use less, but 2 lbs. is indeed the correct measurement. Powdered Sugar typically comes in 2 lb. bags, and most of my frosting recipes have been formulated to use an entire bag. Using less will most likely give you a different textured frosting than you see in my photos.
-Jamie
I am planning to try these out in the wilton mini cupcake pumpkin pan for my daughter’s first birthday. The pan is two parts and frosting in the middle, think this recipe would work for that? And, if I color the frosting orange will it affect the taste? Here is the pan: http://www.amazon.com/Mini-Pumpkins-Cake-Multi-Cavities-Party-Accessory/dp/B007SQ7MCS/ref=pd_sbs_k_5/181-2448189-5284754
Thanks!
Aggie-
That cupcake pan is adorable! A small amount of food coloring should not affect the flavor of the frosting. Have a wonderful day and Happy Birthday to your daughter!
-Jamie
These cupcakes are awesome! Easy to make, excellent flavor and very moist! Thank you!!
Aggie-
I’m thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you so much for stopping in to share your experience with the recipe! Have a great day!
-Jamie
I just made these cupcakes for a girls luncheon. While baking these my house smelled like fall. I love the smell of fall. I made mini’s and at the luncheon the girls couldn’t stop popping these in their mouths. They were so good. Thank you for posting this recipe. I’ve added the link on my Facebook page so you may be getting more compliments and visits :)
That’s fantastic news! Thank you so much for stopping in to share, and have a wonderful day!
-Jamie
What is the drizzle ontop?
Cheryl-
There isn’t a drizzle on top of these cupcakes, just frosting. I hope this helps.
-Jamie
I made the batter and didn’t have all the spices but I put it in my donut maker and the recipe created perfect plump pumpkin spice donuts. yummmmmm. Oh and I made it gluten free by using the Gluten Free All Purpose Flour from Trader Joes. They were light and moist and tasty. I traded your 2 cups of All Purpose flour for exactly 2 cups of the Gluten Free flour mix,
Nikki-
Yum, pumpkin donuts! I feel like I need those in my life. Thanks so much for stopping in to let us know your experience with the recipe and have a great day!
-Jamie
Can these be made with an egg substitute? What would you recommend?
Deborah-
I have never attempted this recipe with an egg substitute, so I cannot attest to the final product. If you attempt it, let me know how it goes. Have a great day!
-Jamie
I just made these tonight as a test run for my Bake Sale for No Kid Hungry in a couple of weeks! The verdict: this recipe definitely made the cut. Moist, tasty cake and silky frosting with a warm cinnamon note = winner!
Lauren-
I am so glad to hear they worked out so well for you – and for such a good cause! Have a great weekend. Thanks so much for stopping by.
-Jamie
Would it make a difference if I mixed the batter with my kitchen aid or is it best to whisk it by hand?
Malaika-
You can use a mixer for the batter as well, just make sure to mix it lightly until all combined. If it’s over mixed the cake won’t rise as much. Thank you so much for following MBA and have a fantastic day!
-Jamie
Made these with a friend 2 weeks ago. INCREDIBLE!!!!!!! We doubled the recipe and ended up with around 60 cupcakes which was okay because they went fast! I sold them at school and made at least $20 in a day. Also brought them to my cousin’s birthday party nearly a week after making them and they were still just as good. Favorite cupcake recipe yet!
Krystina-
Wow! That’s wonderful to hear! I’m so happy that they were such a hit. Have a lovely day!
-Jamie
Made these cupcakes last night for a fundraiser dinner.
OMG, they’re fab! I did tweak the recipe a bit, added some ground clove to give it a kick. As well as adding a bit more other spices. They turned out beautifully!
Nikki-
It’s wonderful to hear that you enjoyed the recipe so much! Thank you for coming back to share, and thank you for following MBA!
-Jamie
You had me at “cinnamon cream cheese frosting”! These were sooooo good and a great subsstitute for a pumpkin roll up. Thansk for the great recipe!!
J
You’re very welcome! I’m in love with the frosting too! Have a fantastic day and thank you so much for following MBA!
-Jamie
Made these yesterday and they are perfect and delicious! I totally thought the spices were going to be too much…not at all! The cupcakes are moist the frosting isn’t over powering. A beautiful combination! Plus, I made them for a church function and got rave reviews from everyone who had one. This recipe is a keeper! Thank you for sharing!
Kathy-
Thank you so much! It’s wonderful to hear that they were such a hit! Thanks for stopping in to share. Have a great day!
-Jamie
Hi,
Just had a question- how long do they keep for? I want to make them for work and I was thinking of making the cupcakes the night before, the icing that morning?
Thanks!
They should keep for at least 2 days in the refrigerator, so that should be fine.
– Jamie
Just made these today and they are amazing! my husband is going to take them to work tomorrow – should i refrigerate them overnight because of the cream cheese icing?
Holy cow these are amazing, but my icing is too thin and kind of oozes rather than sits nicely on top. Tips?
Try chilling the frosting for 10 minutes before adding it to the cake. Also make sure the cake is *completely* cool before you try to frost it.
– Jamie
I tried your pumpkin roll recipe and it went flawlessly! It was absolutely delicious and everyone loved it. I was excited to try this cupcake recipe. I am not sure what I did wrong but the pumpkin cake was not as tasty as the cake on the pumpkin roll and I had an enormous amount of icing left over. Any ideas on what I can try to improve it for next time?
Amy, taste is pretty subjective, so I can’t really help much here. What is it about the cake that you didn’t like as much? Moistness? Up the oil level slightly. Spices? Add more. As for icing, as you can probably tell from most of my cupcake photos, I’m a fan of piping on lots of frosting. That’s probably why you had some left over.
– Jamie
Can you make this as a layer cake?
Hi Shauna,
That should be fine, but you’ll need to increase the baking time for cake pans. I haven’t done it, so I don’t know exactly how long, but I’d guess the cakes would need to bake at least 35-40 minutes.
– Jamie
These look amazing. Trying them today. What is the drizzle on top?
Cheryl-
There isn’t a drizzle on top of these cupcakes, just frosting. I hope this helps.
-Jamie
In my tired baking state I actually forgot to add the butter to these cupcakes! I was so worried about how they would come out and yet they came out deliciously. The pumpkin kept it moist and rich and perfect. I will definitely use this recipe again, and I may skip the butter then too!
Steph-
I am glad the recipe turned out well for you! Thanks for visiting.
-Jamie
Hi Jamie! I am planning on making these for work, look amazing. I was wondering it says 2 POUNDS of confectioners sugar, did you mean 2 CUPS?
Sammie-
It is actually two pounds. I hope this helps.
-Jamie
I would like to know the ingredients for the gluten-free version. I looked but was unable to find it or looked in the wrong place.
Thank you…….
Made these this morning for Thanksgiving, they were devoured! Thank you for the recipe
These are the best cupcakes ever!! I have made them 3 times this fall and everyone loves them. The frosting is amazing!
Thank you so much
You’re so welcome, Heather! I’m really glad everyone liked them!
HHi Jamie! I am planning on making these for work, look amazing. I was wondering it says 2 POUNDS of confectioners sugar, can I use regular pure cane sugar!? Thanks
Hi, Jessica! I’m afraid the confectioners sugar will make the frosting too gritty. The powdered sugar will give you a really nice consistency. I hope everyone at your work likes them!