Description
This is my favorite recipe for super moist and easy pumpkin spice cupcakes. Here you’re topping them with rich and creamy chocolate buttercream frosting. Add a light drizzle of salted caramel for the ultimate pumpkin dessert indulgence.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice*
- 1/2 cup (120ml) canola or vegetable oil*
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 cup (225g) canned pumpkin puree*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Buttercream
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 and 1/2 cups (420g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 cup (41g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream or milk, at room temperature
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- optional: salted caramel for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk the oil, eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin, and vanilla extract together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use a mixer or whisk until completely combined. Batter will be thick.
- Pour/spoon the batter into the liners—fill only 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides. Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely in the pan before frosting.
- Make the frosting: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute. Add 1/4 cup more confectioners’ sugar or cocoa powder if frosting is too thin, or another Tablespoon of cream or milk if frosting is too thick. Taste. If it’s too sweet, beat in another pinch of salt.
- Frost cooled cupcakes however you’d like. I used a Wilton 1M piping tip for the pictured cupcakes. Top the frosted cupcakes with salted caramel if desired.
- Cover and store leftover cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Cupcakes can be made ahead 1 day in advance, covered, and stored at room temperature. Frosting can also be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week (or up to 3 months in the freezer). After freezing, thaw the frosting in the refrigerator and then beat the frosting on medium speed for a few seconds so it’s creamy again. After thawing or refrigerating, beating in a splash of heavy cream or milk will help thin the frosting out again, if needed. Frosted or unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-cup Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Wilton 1M Piping Tip | Cupcake Carrier (for storage)
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can find pumpkin pie spice in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have either and want to use individual spices, use 1/2 teaspoon each: ground allspice and ground ginger AND 1/4 teaspoon each: ground nutmeg and ground cloves. This is in addition to the 1 teaspoon of cinnamon—you will still add that.
- Oil: Instead of 1/2 cup of oil, try 1/4 cup (45g) unsweetened applesauce and 1/4 (60ml) cup oil. The cupcakes are just as moist.
- Pumpkin: I strongly recommend using canned pumpkin puree over homemade in this recipe, though 1 cup of homemade would work just fine. I found the flavor better with canned. I prefer Libby’s brand.
- Mini Cupcakes: For around 30 mini cupcakes, bake for about 12–13 minutes, same oven temperature.
- Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking the BEST cupcakes before you begin!
Keywords: pumpkin chocolate cupcakes