Description
Delightful “pumpkin cupcakes” blend autumn’s warmth with sweet spice perfection. Creamy frosting and rich seasonal flavors invite home bakers to savor a comforting dessert that celebrates fall’s delicious essence.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil (or melted butter)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup milk (or buttermilk)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp cloves
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp cinnamon (optional, for extra spice)
Instructions
- Preparation Setup: Warm the oven to 350F (175C) and arrange cupcake liners in a muffin tin, ensuring even spacing for uniform baking.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Thoroughly combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a mixing bowl, creating a harmonious spice blend that will infuse the cupcakes with rich, autumnal flavors.
- Wet Ingredient Harmony: Whisk oil, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin puree, and milk in a separate bowl until the mixture achieves a silky, smooth consistency with no visible lumps.
- Batter Integration: Gently fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring with delicate movements until just incorporated, taking care not to overmix and maintain the batter’s light texture.
- Baking Transformation: Distribute the batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling each about three-quarters full. Slide the tin into the preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, monitoring until a toothpick emerges clean when inserted into the center of a cupcake.
- Cooling Finale: Allow cupcakes to rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack, permitting them to cool completely before adorning with frosting.
Notes
- Stir batter gently until ingredients are just combined to maintain a tender, light cupcake texture without developing tough gluten.
- Allow eggs and milk to reach room temperature before mixing to ensure even incorporation and smoother batter consistency.
- Use fresh pumpkin puree or high-quality canned puree for the most vibrant flavor and optimal moisture in the cupcakes.
- Swap all-purpose flour with gluten-free blend, use plant-based milk and egg substitutes to create vegan and gluten-free friendly version of the cupcakes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg