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These are the pumpkin cupcakes that actually taste like pumpkin – not just pumpkin spice everything. They’re ridiculously moist, perfectly spiced, and topped with the kind of cream cheese frosting that has you asking for seconds.
Extra Good Pumpkin Cupcakes
Cozy flannel shirt, a hot cup of coffee, crisp air and colorful leaves…the only thing missing from this picture is a pumpkin cupcake.
Not just any pumpkin cupcake though – a ridiculously moist pumpkin cupcake filled with just the right amount of warm spice topped with an almost too large swirl of rich, tangy cream cheese frosting.
I’m just really loving these pumpkin cupcakes right now. I’ve fully embraced the fall vibes, the cozy smells, the warm spices, the joyful feeling of biting into a moist cupcake topped with an unnecessary (but also totally necessary) amount of frosting.
Gosh, I love this time of year and this pumpkin cupcake recipe.
We made a fresh batch of our homemade pumpkin pie spice to have on hand for all of the Fall baking plans I have. You can certainly use store bought here, but I just love having a little mason jar of my homemade blend on hand and ready to go.
3 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
They’re ridiculously moist. The secret is using real pumpkin puree and just the right amount of oil. These cupcakes stay soft for days (if they last that long).
Simple mixing, no fuss. Whisk dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another, then combine. No creaming butter or complicated steps, just straightforward baking that works.
Perfect for any fall gathering. Whether it’s a casual dinner party or just because it’s Tuesday and you want something sweet, these hit the spot without being too fancy.
Cupcake Ingredients:
Dry Ingredients – Some all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar for the cupcake batter.
Wet Ingredients – You’ll also need vegetable oil and eggs for mixing with the dry ingredients.
Pumpkin – Use canned pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix! The mix has spices in it already, which you’re going to add separately.
Pumpkin Pie Spice – You can use a store bought mix or try my homemade pumpkin pie spice!
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
Cream Cheese – You’ll want to begin with softened room temperature cream cheese for easy mixing with the other frosting ingredients.
Butter – Start with room temperature butter, also for easy mixing!
Powdered Sugar – For sweetening up the cream cheese frosting.
Vanilla – Use a good quality vanilla extract for the best flavor!
Salt – Just a bit to help balance out the sweetness.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
My Favorite Vanilla!
A good quality vanilla really does make a difference and this is my favorite brand.
Step by Step Instructions for Pumpkin Cupcakes:
Add the flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Add the pumpkin, brown sugar, oil, and eggs to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined.
Add liners to a 12 cup muffin tin and fill each of the wells with the pumpkin cupcake batter.
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until the tops spring back when touched and a tester comes out clean. Cool and pipe on the cream cheese frosting.
Storage
Counter: Store frosted cupcakes covered at room temperature for up to 2 days
Refrigerator: Keep frosted cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 5 days (bring to room temperature before serving for the best flavor)
Freezer: Unfrosted cupcakes freeze beautifully for up to 3 months in freezer bags
Frosting: Make cream cheese frosting up to 3 days ahead and store covered in the fridge
Recipe FAQs:
We usually stick to the canned pumpkin puree because it’s quick and easy! But if you want to prepare your own puree from fresh pumpkin you can do so. Just make sure to drain it well to remove excess moisture!
You can use any store bought or homemade frosting that you like on these cupcakes! We prefer our homemade cream cheese frosting and think it goes best with the pumpkin spice flavors.
More Pumpkin Favorites:
- White Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies: Super soft and loaded with white chocolate chips.
- Pumpkin Pie Dip: Perfect for dipping graham crackers or Nilla wafers!
- Pumpkin Dream Cake: Love the technique for achieving super moist cake here!
- Pumpkin Bundt Cake: We love bundt cakes!
- Pumpkin Muffins: These have a surprise cream cheese filling.
- Pumpkin Crunch Cake: It’s like pumpkin cake and pie with crunchy pecans!
- Pumpkin Bombs: Air fryer cinnamon sugar donuts filled with pumpkin pie!
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 1/3 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup canned pumpkin
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
Cream cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar plus more, as needed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
To make the cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with liners.
- Add the flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Add the pumpkin, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs to a large mixing bowl and whisk well to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined.
- Fill the muffin wells 2/3 full with the batter.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes or until the tops spring back when touched and a tester comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting:
- For the frosting, add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Pipe or spoon the frosting over the cupcakes.
- Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Janet Tauyan says
Can I substitute pumpkin pie spice extract for the powder kind? Is it the same?
Karly says
I’ve never used a pumpkin extract before. Not sure how it would work.
Janet Tauyan says
Thank for your quick response. I didn’t want to mess the recipe so I didn’t use the extract. I’m not good at baking, but the cupcakes turned out really good!
Rosie says
These look like such great cupcakes. I’m definitely ready for all the pumpkin for a couple of months!
sandhya says
Cup cake easily attract everyone. In my childhood I ask my mother to prepare the cake everyday. Now I prepare the cake for my children.
Lisa says
These look yummy! Why is there a question mark after the 1 (cup of flour). Should it be one cup, or is it more?
Karly says
Oh, thank you for asking! That should 1 1/3 cups of flour. For some reason, my recipe card always eats the 1/3 when I type it in and I forgot correct this one. It’s there now. 🙂