Lofty pumpkin cupcakes with a tender crumb and swirls of brown sugar and molasses cream cheese frosting are the perfect fall bake!
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Updated: October 2024
Whether you need a Halloween-inspired baking project for a festive weekend or an excellent alternative to holiday pie, pumpkin cupcakes fit the bill perfectly.
This pumpkin cupcake recipe makes for cupcakes with a lofty, traditional cake crumb. They’re suffused with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. The cupcakes are topped with pillowy cream cheese frosting with hints of brown sugar and a swirl of molasses.
Getting the Spices Right
If possible, grate the nutmeg, and grind the allspice berries and cloves fresh. You can also grind up cinnamon sticks for fresh-made ground cinnamon, but it doesn’t make much of a difference flavor-wise.
Speaking of spices, it’s a good time to check and replenish your spice stores. I highly recommend Diaspora Co. Their nutmeg is sold inside the outer nut shell, keeping the seeds inside fresh until they’re needed. While I sometimes just use pre-ground versions of the other spices, I always grate my nutmeg fresh and Diaspora is an excellent value.
Feel free to play with the spices here. Add ground ginger for a more gingerbread-like flavor. Go with masala chai spices for a kick of pepper and cardamom. Add more cinnamon or less, and so on. Riff and swap and make them yours!
Pumpkin or Squash?
I prefer the flavor of freshly cooked squash for my “pumpkin” puree. To make your own puree, you’ll need a finely textured winter squash such as butternut, candy roaster, or kabocha, or a true pie pumpkin (not the kind you carve!). Simply halve and seed the squash, set in a baking dish with a little water, cover tightly with foil, and bake 60 – 70 minutes.
If you’re short on time, canned pumpkin will be absolutely fine here.
Perfectly Piped Cream Cheese Frosting
You’ll need a package of cream cheese and a stick of unsalted butter for the frosting; set them out ahead of time so they are fully room temperature. The cream cheese frosting can get a bit soft, so after you whip it, give it a few minutes to set up in the fridge before piping. To pipe the frosting, use a piping bag and an extra large piping tip.
Once frosted, chill the cupcakes in the fridge for 20 – 30 to set the frosting.
Cupcakes or Muffins?
These pumpkin cupcakes are made with traditional creamed butter and sugar technique for a traditional cake crumb, so they really are cupcakes. The frosting definitely seals the deal, but feel free to serve them without the frosting – they will still be a delicious fall treat.
Lofty pumpkin cupcakes with brown sugar and molasses-swirled cream cheese frosting are the perfect fall treat!
Before baking, set two sticks of butter, a block of cream cheese, and two eggs out to come to room temperature.
- 1 large butternut, kabocha, or pie pumpkin, or medium candy roaster, halved and seeded (or use canned pumpkin)
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cloves
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups fresh pumpkin puree or 1 (15-ounce can) pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted (See note below*)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 - 2 teaspoons molasses
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If making fresh pureed squash, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly cover squash or pumpkin with olive oil. Set cut side down in a rimmed baking dish. Add 1/2 cup water and cover tightly with foil. Bake 50 - 60 minutes, or until squash is fork tender. Cool, then scoop squash out of the skin and mash with a fork.
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Puree will keep 3 days in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer. (Thaw before using.)
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners or grease very well.
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In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stop and scrape down sides as needed. Add eggs one at a time. With mixer on low, add squash puree and vanilla (the mixture may curdle slightly at this point, but it's fine). With mixer on low, fold dry ingredients into the wet, mixing just until incorporated.
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Spoon batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin. For ease, use a scale and an ice cream scoop to add 3-ounces of batter to each cup. (The cups will be very full!)
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Bake muffins 22 - 25 minutes, or until muffins are puffed up and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached.
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Cool 1 hour before frosting.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar in three batches, fully whipping it into the mixture before adding more. Beat in brown sugar and vanilla. Set frosting in fridge for 10 minutes.
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Set a piping bag with a large frosting tip upright in a glass. Add a few drizzles of molasses along the sides. Scoop in the chilled frosting. Pipe onto cupcakes.
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Chill frosted cupcakes in the fridge for 20 minutes, then serve!
*Note: For a more firm (and sweet) frosting, add up to 2 cups powdered sugar
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