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Lofty pumpkin cupcakes with brown sugar and molasses-swirled cream cheese frosting are the perfect fall treat!
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Pumpkin Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
 
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.
Recipe Type: Dessert
Keyword: Pumpkin Cupcakes
Makes: 12 cupcakes
Author: Elizabeth Stark
Ingredients
Pumpkin puree (optional)
  • 1 large butternut kabocha, or pie pumpkin, or medium candy roaster, halved and seeded
Cupcakes
  • 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
Frosting
  • 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
Instructions
Puree
  1. 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.

  2. Puree will keep 3 days in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer. (Thaw before using.)

Cupcakes

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners or grease very well.

  2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.

  3. 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.

  4. 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!)
  5. 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.
  6. Cool 1 hour before frosting.
Frosting

  1. 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.

  2. 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.
  3. Chill frosted cupcakes in the fridge for 20 minutes, then serve!
Recipe Notes

*Note: For a more firm (and sweet) frosting, add up to 2 cups powdered sugar