Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin purée
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon plus 1/4 teaspoon each ginger and nutmeg)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar (I use 1 1/4 cup sugar)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons finely diced crystallized ginger (I skip this)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly grease a muffin tin or use cupcake liners.
3. Beat together the oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, spices, salt, and baking powder until smooth.
4. Add the flour, stirring just until smooth.
5. Fill each well with 1/4 cup of batter.
6. Bake for approximately 15-17 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached.
7. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.
8. While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the icing (If the butter and cream cheese are cold, warm them very briefly in the microwave, just till they feel soft but haven’t begun to melt). Note: the cream cheese recipe above makes more than I feel is needed for the recipe. I always cut the recipe in half.
9. Beat together the cream cheese, butter, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
10. Spread frosting on completely cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with the crystallized ginger (if using).
11. Store in refrigerator to keep cream cheese frosting at a safe temperature.

You’ll only need a partial can of pumpkin puree for this recipe. Try one of these recipes with what’s leftover:

Pumpkin Pie Chia Seed Pudding • Ultimate Pumpkin Bread • Pumpkin Oat Icebox Muffins • Pumpkin Pie Smoothie • Pumpkin Oat Pancakes • Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes

Print Recipe

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin purée
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon plus 1/4 teaspoon each ginger and nutmeg)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
• 1/2 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar (I use 1 1/4 cup sugar)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons finely diced crystallized ginger (I skip this)

Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2

Lightly grease a muffin tin or use cupcake liners.

3

Beat together the oil, eggs, sugar, pumpkin, spices, salt, and baking powder until smooth.

4

Add the flour, stirring just until smooth.

5

Fill each well with 1/4 cup of batter.

6

Bake for approximately 15-17 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached.

7

Remove from the oven, and allow to cool for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.

8

While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the icing (If the butter and cream cheese are cold, warm them very briefly in the microwave, just till they feel soft but haven't begun to melt). Note: the cream cheese recipe above makes more than I feel is needed for the recipe. I always cut the recipe in half.

9

Beat together the cream cheese, butter, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

10

Spread frosting on completely cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with the crystallized ginger (if using).

11

Store in refrigerator to keep cream cheese frosting at a safe temperature.