Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes Recipe

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes Recipe

This one is for all you pumpkin spice lovers out there! This is the pumpkin cupcakes recipe to end all pumpkin spice recipes. A two-part recipe with a light and fluffy yet flavor-rich cupcake base and a smooth cinnamon cream cheese buttercream. You are sure to dive right into the fall spirit with the first bite. For the cupcake bases, I used a pumpkin-shaped baking pan from Williams Sonoma. The exact pan I use in this recipe is from last year but I did find a very similar one which will work just as well: Nordic Ware Pan. You can also skip this step and just use a muffin pan! This cupcake recipe can also be used as pumpkin bread or cake in any of your loaf or bundt pans. You will just have to vary your baking times and leave off the buttercream.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 15-oz can pumpkin
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

-In an electric stand or hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until combined. Add the eggs and beat for a few minutes until the batter becomes light and fluffy. Add the pumpkin and continue to beat on high until the mixture is grainy but well mixed.

-Add the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, ground cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg with a spatula. Mix until batter is semi incorporated. Continue in the electric mixer on high for another minute or until smooth.

-Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease your pan with cooking spray to get all the nooks.

-Using a large spoon, fill each pan spot 75% full with batter.

-Bake for 35-45 minutes or until you can press your finger lightly on the tops of the cupcakes and the cupcake bounces back without a finger imprint. You can also use the toothpick test.

-Let cool for about 10 minutes before attempting to remove them from the pan. Then let cool completely before moving on to the cream cheese frosting. This is an important step as the buttercream will melt easily on a warm-hot cupcake.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Buttercream

Ingredients

1 Cup Cream Cheese
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter (softened)
15 oz. (one box) Powdered Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 Tablespoon Ground Saigon Cinnamon (The type of cinnamon makes a huge taste difference!)

Instructions

-In an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese for a few minutes until light and fluffy.

-Add vanilla extract and mix until just combined.

-Stir in the powdered sugar and cinnamon with a spatula until somewhat clumpy texture starts to appear. This step is just preventative so you don’t have a powdered sugar explosion in your mixture.

-Continue to mix on low, medium, and finally high speed until a frosting consistency is achieved. This is a cream cheese frosting so it won’t be stiff like piping buttercream.

-Pipe on cupcakes with a piping bag and open star piping tip.

-Serve right away or keep refrigerated. Bring the cupcakes out about an hour prior to serving to let them get back to room temperature.