As the weather cools and the leaves start to change colors, our family gets into a baking mood. Pumpkins and Halloween decorations start popping up (sometimes earlier than we’d like!). Pumpkin flavors appear everywhere from coffee drinks to the soup served at your local restaurant. Not to be left out of the fun, I created this delicious Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting.
I don’t know if it was waking up to the first chilly morning of autumn, or seeing Halloween pumpkins for sale, or what. But I do know is that this recipe for pumpkin spice cupcakes is now a family favorite in our house, and maybe yours too.
Nuts or no nuts – up to you!These pumpkin cupcakes are the perfect fit for the season. They’re moist and not-too-sweet, and the pumpkin and spice flavors taste like all the best memories of Fall. Plus who doesn’t love sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting?!?! And these cupcakes are so darn easy to make. Just follow my recipe below.
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting
The hardest thing about making this recipe for pumpkin spice cupcakes is having to wait until they’re frosted to eat them. The yogurt and oil in the batter make them extra moist and fluffy too. If you are into nuts like the squirrels in our family, top them with some roasted walnut pieces for an added crunch.
These pumpkin spice cupcakes are so delicious, bet you can’t eat just one!Makes 24 cupcakes
Ingredients for Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes Recipe
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 1 3/4 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 way up to allow room for rising.Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups chopped and roasted walnuts (optional)
Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting to avoid any melting.Instructions to Make Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Fill a cupcake pan with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
- In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, sugar, yogurt and oil until smooth.
- Mix in each egg, one at a time. Add the vanilla extract.
- While hand-stirring the pumpkin mixture, slowly add in the flour mixture until fully combined. Do not over mix or the cupcakes will be too dense and heavy.
- Using a large spoon, transfer the batter to fill each cupcake liner almost all the the way full.
- Place in oven on middle rack and bake for 26-28 minutes. (A toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes should comes out clean.)
- Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and then remove and transfer to a cooling rack.
- When completely cool, frost pumpkin spice cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting and top with roasted walnuts (if desired).
Instructions to make Cream Cheese Frosting
- Using an electric beater, whip the cream cheese and butter together until creamy.
- Beat in the sugar until combined and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla extract.
I put the nuts in a bowl and then dip the freshly-frosted cupcake in upside down. Super easy.This Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes Recipe is the Taste of Autumn
Enjoy these little morsels of Autumn-in-a-cupcake! Don’t forget to store your pumpkin spice cupcakes in an airtight container. I put mine in the frig to keep the frosting fresh because of the cream cheese. Eat them cold or take them out and let them sit for 30 minutes to warm up to room temperature. Either way they are delicious!
(We’re wondering what they might taste like accompanied by a nice Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks???)
We’re not ready for Halloween orange yet, but pumpkins come in many colors.
YUM, Jon!!!!!
Can’t wait to make the cupcakes – MY kind of baked good.
Hope all is well with all four of you!
Let me know how they turn out, Lynn!