Name: Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/3 cup sugar; ⅔ cup firmly packed light brown sugar; 1/2 cup canola oil; 3 large eggs; 1/2 cup pumpkin purée; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; 1 ½ tbsp real maple syrup; ⅓ cup Greek yogurt; 12 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature); 10 Tbsp unsalted butter (at room temperature); 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; 3 cups powdered sugar; ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Indulge in the flavors of fall with our Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes topped with a delectable cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Perfect for a cozy afternoon or as the star dessert at your holiday dinner, these cupcakes are a must-try! With just a few simple ingredients and minutes of prep work, you can enjoy bakery-quality treats at home.

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Headon view of pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

Filled with pumpkin flavor, these pumpkin spice cupcakes are the perfect fall treat! Each moist and tender bite is topped with a delicious cinnamon cream cheese frosting, making it the perfect dessert for a cool fall afternoon or even to top off your holiday dinner! All you need are a few simple ingredients and a few minutes of prep work in the kitchen to make a batch of bakery treats at home.

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What Do I Need to Make Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes?

Packed with autumn flavor, this delicious dessert is so simple to make! That's because you can prepare your own freshly baked pumpkin cupcakes with just a handful of common pantry ingredients. To make these fall treats, you'll need:

All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Ground cinnamon
Ground nutmeg
Sugar
Light brown sugar
Canola oil
Eggs
Pumpkin puree
Vanilla extract
Maple syrup
Greek yogurt
Cream cheese
Unsalted butter
Powdered sugar

How Do I Make Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes?

There's no need to head to the bakery the next time you're craving some pumpkin spice! Just grab your ingredients and follow these simple instructions to make your own fall flavored cupcakes from scratch with just a few minutes of prep work.

Step One: Combine the Dry Ingredients

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and lining a cupcake pan with liners. Using a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. When all the dry ingredients are mixed, add the sugar and continue mixing until well combined.

Step Two: Mix the Pumpkin

In a separate bowl, combine the vanilla extract, pumpkin, oil, eggs, maple syrup, and yogurt. Whisk these ingredients together until well combined, then add the pumpkin mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until everything is well combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

Step Three: Bake the Cupcakes

Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters of the way full of batter, using a large spoon or ice cream scoop. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. When the cupcakes are finished baking, allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing them from the pan and placing them on a cooling rack.

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Step Four: Prepare the Icing

While the cupcakes are cooling, mix the cream cheese frosting by combining the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl. Beat the two ingredients together until soft and smooth. Then, add the vanilla and cinnamon and beat to combine. Finally, gradually add the powdered sugar and manually mix until the frosting is smooth.

Step Five: Frost the Cupcakes

Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting. Transfer the prepared cream cheese icing to a piping bag fitted with a large closed star tip. Pipe the icing on top of each cupcake and garnish with cinnamon or pumpkin spice before serving.

Pro Tip: We used an Ateco 829-star tip to pipe the icing onto the cupcakes.

How Do You Store Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes?

Since these cupcakes are prepared with cream cheese frosting, it's best to store them in the refrigerator after you serve them. Transfer the leftover cupcakes to an airtight container and keep them chilled. They'll stay good for up to four days.

Can I Make Pumpkin Cupcakes in Advance?

If you're baking for the holidays, prepping recipes in advance in a must. And luckily, these cupcakes can be baked ahead of time and stored until you're ready to serve them!

When prepping pumpkin cupcakes in advance, it's best to store them without the icing. Your cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for up to four days. Or you can place the baked cupcakes (without icing) in the freezer for up to two months. Simply transfer the cupcakes to the refrigerator 24 hours before you plan to serve them.

Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe Ideas

Since this cupcake recipe is so simple to make, it's perfect for satisfying your pumpkin cravings! And with these recipe ideas, you can whip up a delicious dessert to serve at any occasion.

Add some pumpkin pie spice. Take the pumpkin flavor to the next level with the addition of some premade pumpkin pie spice. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice to the dry ingredients to enhance the flavor of your dessert.
Decorate the cupcakes. In addition to garnishing your cupcakes with a sprinkling of cinnamon, you can also add some fall color to the top of your dessert. Try decorating your treat with autumn sprinkles or pumpkin candy for a fun fall topping.
Add a topping. Give your cupcakes even more sweetness by drizzling the top of each treat with a delicious garnish. Try spreading some maple syrup or caramel sauce over the top of each dessert before serving.
Make your own pumpkin puree. Using canned pumpkin is perfectly fine for preparing these treats! But if you have fresh pumpkin on hand, you can also make your own puree to use in your dessert. Just roast the fresh pumpkin until the flesh is tender, the scrape it into your blender or food processor. Pulse the blender until the pumpkin is smooth, then add it to your cupcake batter.