Description
Moist pumpkin cupcakes flavored with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, brown sugar, and vanilla, then topped with a creamy cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
CUPCAKES
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup neutral vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 cup pure pumpkin purée
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
8 ounces full-fat brick cream cheese, softened but still cool
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch salt
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a standard 12-well muffin pan with paper liners.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium bowl until evenly combined.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, pumpkin purée, and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until no visible flour streaks remain. Do not overmix.
5. Divide the batter evenly among the liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
6. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out without wet batter.
7. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely.
8. Beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth.
9. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until creamy and able to hold a soft swirl.
10. Spread or pipe the cinnamon cream cheese frosting over the completely cooled cupcakes.
Notes
Use pure pumpkin purée, not sweetened pumpkin pie filling.
Measure the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling the top.
Stop mixing the batter as soon as the flour disappears to keep the cupcakes tender.
Use full-fat brick-style cream cheese because spreadable tub cream cheese can make the frosting too soft.
If the frosting becomes loose, refrigerate it for 15–20 minutes before piping.
Store frosted cupcakes in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze unfrosted cupcakes in airtight packaging for up to 3 months.
The listed cook-time field uses the 20-minute midpoint of the recipe’s 18–22-minute baking range.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 frosted cupcake
- Calories: 430 kcal
- Sugar: 45g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 57g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 65mg