Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
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These pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting are the only pumpkin cupcake recipe you need. They’re moist, extra soft, filled with pumpkin spice and topped with the fluffiest, creamiest frosting around. The perfect cupcake for fall!
I’ve made a lot of pumpkin recipes in my time – but these pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting definitely received the best reviews. The pumpkin cupcakes on they’re own are perfection because they have a super soft crumb, rise beautifully, and a crazy delicious pumpkin cinnamon flavor. And when they’re topped cinnamon cream cheese frosting????? Cupcake heaven.
Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe
For these pumpkin cupcakes, I wanted them to have a warm spice cake flavor but I didn’t want it to take over. Pumpkin needs to be the star of the show. So we’re using just the right amount of cinnamon, ginger & nutmeg. Then brown sugar and vanilla round out the delicious flavor profile and allow the pumpkin flavor to really shine.
Hello there pumpkin pie in cupcake form.
Then it was absolutely pertinent (FANCY WORDS) that the cupcakes were moist but not greasy. I found that using oil gave a softer crumb than butter, and helped to ensure that the cupcakes don’t get heavy. Then 2 eggs keep the crumb tender and milk for moisture. The pumpkin actually adds moisture too – so it really does double duty here. 
Just make sure to use pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling for these pumpkin cupcakes. Pumpkin pie filling is filled with a bunch of other ingredients which we don’t need in these cupcakes.
Now it’s time to talk about the cinnamon cream cheese frosting. It just might be the best frosting around. It’s not too sweet, has a slight tanginess from the cream cheese, and a delicious cinnamon flavor. I seriously love the frosting because it’s not sickly sweet, and I seriously couldn’t think of a better topping for these pumpkin cupcakes.
If you’re a pumpkin lover, frosting addict, Thanksgiving enthusiast, cupcake connoisseur – you’ll love these pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
Or for more pumpkin treats, try these other favorites:
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Glaze
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Pumpkin French Toast
- No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil, , or canola
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup pure pumpkin
- 1/3 cup milk
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter, , softened
- 6 oz cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, , I often do 1 1/2
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 - 3.5 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons cream, , as needed
Instructions
Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Line muffin pans with muffin papers, you'll end up with about 18 cupcakes.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a large bowl beat together the oil, sugars, eggs & vanilla extract until no lumps remain (about 1-2 minutes).
- Mix in the pumpkin.
- With the mixer on low speed mix in the flour mixture about 1/2 at a time alternating with 1/2 of the milk.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling each about 2/3 full.
- Bake in the center rack of your oven for 16-19 minutes, or until the tops feel slightly firm to the touch and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl beat the butter until fluffy - about 2 minutes. Then beat in the cream cheese.
- Add in the cinnamon & vanilla extract.
- Beat in the powdered sugar about 1 cup at a time, starting with the mixer on low speed. If the frosting seems too thick, beat in the whipping cream 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes using a flat knife or piping bag.
First time trying the recipe and I wasn’t disappointed! Yummy, moist muffins, complimented by delicious frosting!
I like cinnamon, but I think the full amount in the frosting would have been too much for me so I just put a little sprinkle in. Also made a calculation error when making the frosting! I planned to just make half, so used half the cream cheese and half the butter, however still used 3.5 cups of icing sugar 🤔, turned out lush though and there was more than enough to cover the 14 large muffins I got from the batch. Thank you!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the recipe
These are amazing! Even my husband loved them and he’s not a big sweets guy… and can be very picky when he does enjoy a treat. I will definitely be making again!
I love this recipe! I wanted to bake some pumpkin cupcakes since it is fall, and I decided to use your recipe, and i’m so happy that i did because these cupcakes came out so moist and perfect. They were simply delicious!
Is the pumpkin pureed? It says pure pumpkin wondering if that’s what you meant. Thank you.
Yes – pumpkin puree. I am not sure where in the world you live, but in North American you can typically fined canned pumpkin puree in the baking aisle of your grocery store. If you can’t find canned pumpkin puree, it can be made by baking the pumpkin and then puree in a food processor.
Hello Fiona!!
First, let me tell you how great this recipe is!! I made it twice already and every time it was a huge hit!! So thank you 🙂
I have a question though. My husband got me pumpkin pie mix instead of pumpkin puree…. :/ Do you think I can use it to make your cupcakes?
Thank you!!
I’m so glad you love the cupcakes! Unfortunately, I wouldn’t use pumpkin pie mix instead of pumpkin puree. The pumpkin pie filling is filled with other ingredients – such as thickeners, sugars and spices – so it won’t provide the same cupcakes.
Don’t cut the frosting recipe in half if u have leftover frosting use it on gram crackers
Oooo – delicious idea!
These are the BEST cupcakes I’ve ever made! Do you have any tips on how to make these in a mini cupcake pan? I’d love to revise them for a party I have coming up where I’m supposed to make some mini desserts. Thanks!
Wow! Just wow!
I made them tonight as a Thanksgiving alternative to pie. I’ve never ever made cupcakes before and they turned absolutely delicious. Everybody loved them.
Personally, I really liked the taste of the icing. The cheese adds that bit of tanginess and the cinnamon is lovely. I did try a cupcake without it, though, and they are very good by themselves too.
Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much Alenka! I love having an alternative to pie as well, and I’m so glad they were such a success!
I have used this recipe SEVERAL times and have always gotten RAVE reviews! Thank you!
Thank you so much, Sheila
Hi there! What do you mean by cream?
Whipping cream, heavy cream or even half and half would be fine – I typically use whipping cream (about 33% MF) in frosting.
Thank you so much for your quick response! I am about to make these delicious cupcakes. Hopefully they come out good – lol. 🙂
Happy Holidays!
Good tasting, moist cupcakes. Waaayyy to much icing. The ingredients could have been halved.