Light and Fluffy Pumpkin Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Light and Fluffy Pumpkin Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting Post Preview: Enjoy these soft and fluffy pumpkin cupcakes filled with all the flavors of the season. Top them with this homemade whipped cream cheese frosting. There is a printable recipe at the end of this post.

We have already established that I love fall, right? I love the weather. I love the changing colors. And the flavors. Oh, man. I love all of the pumpkin and caramel and all of that. It’s so good!

Oh, except candy corn. Candy corn is the worst. But, I know some of you like it, so I might have even suggested it as a possible garnish. You know, because I’m a pal like that.

I’m not normally one to pick a cream cheese frosting over a regular buttercream frosting, but pumpkin pairs so beautifully with it. That’s why I’m sharing a recipe today for Light and Fluffy Pumpkin Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting.

Related Reading:

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• Hot Cocoa Bar: How to Make an Easy Hot Chocolate Buffet
• Chocolate Nutella Cupcakes Recipe with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
• Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pecans Recipe

How to Make Light and Fluffy Pumpkin Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

This isn’t a boxed mix recipe, but it’s nice and easy to make. These made-from-scratch pumpkin cupcakes are not overly sweet, which makes them a perfect partner for a sweet frosting.

These would be perfect for taking to a fall or Halloween party, as a Thanksgiving dessert, or just because it’s a beautiful fall day and you want pumpkin cupcakes.

This recipe will make 10 – 12 cupcakes, depending on how full you fill your muffin tins.

Note: There is a printable recipe at the end of this post for both the pumpkin cupcakes and the homemade whipped cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients List for Pumpkin Cupcakes and Cream Cheese Frosting

Light and Fluffy Pumpkin Cupcakes Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup of vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Note: Pumpkin puree is not the same thing as pumpkin pie filling. You should be looking for a can labeled as “pure pumpkin” or “pumpkin puree” or another similar name.

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
• 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

What if I don’t have ground ginger, ground cloves, or ground nutmeg?

Of course, it’s nice to be able to use ground ginger, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg each individually. It gives you the ability to use a little more of a favorite or a little less of one you might not like as much.

For this recipe, if you’re missing these ingredients (or just want to do a substitution), you can use pumpkin pie spice instead. You can substitute the ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves, plus one of the teaspoons of cinnamon. You can use 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon as the spices for this recipe instead. 

What if you want a frosting that is sweeter or a not too sweet frosting?

If you like a sweeter frosting, you can use 3 cups of powdered sugar in this recipe instead of 2 1/2 cups. If you like a cream cheese frosting that is not too sweet, you could try to use 2 cups of powdered sugar instead.

You can play around with it to get the exact level of sweetness you prefer. However, since these pumpkin cupcakes aren’t overly sweet, you may prefer a sweeter frosting.

Can I Use Buttercream Frosting instead of Cream Cheese Frosting?

Of course!

If you really don’t like cream cheese frosting or just prefer buttercream frosting, you can always go with my favorite go-to Homemade Vanilla Buttercream Frosting.

Or, you know, you could go with a favorite buttercream recipe of your own.

Garnish Ideas for Pumpkin Cupcakes

While you can definitely just pipe frosting onto these cupcakes, these will also look lovely with garnish.

Possible garnish ideas for the pumpkin cupcakes:

• fall-themed sprinkles
• ground cinnamon
• freshly ground nutmeg
• candy corn
• candy pumpkins

Pumpkin Cupcakes and Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe Directions

Cupcake Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Prepare a muffin tin with paper cupcake liners; set aside.

Conversely, you can use something like a Silpat cupcake pan, if you want to skip using cupcake liners.

3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg).

4. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

5. Pour the wet mixture (from the medium mixing bowl) into the dry mixture (in the large mixing bowl) and stir until combined.

6. Scoop the batter into 12 cupcake liners for regular-sized cupcakes, or 10 liners for slightly larger cupcakes, depending on the size of your muffin pan. Fill each muffin tin only to about 2/3 of the way full.

7. Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a cupcake.

8. Cool the cupcakes completely to room temperature.

How to Make Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

1. While the cupcakes are cooling, use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the butter and cream cheese for the frosting. Beat on medium-high speed for at least 1 minute, until well combined and fluffy.

2. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture.

3. Mix these with the electric mixer on low speed until the powdered sugar is incorporated, in order to keep all of the powdered sugar in the bowl. Then beat on medium-high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy.

4. Frost the cupcakes by spreading or piping the frosting onto each cupcake.

Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until serving.

Yields 10-12 cupcakes | Prep time: 15 minutes | Baking time: 20 minutes

Other Easy Pumpkin Recipes

Quick and Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip Recipe

Easy Coconut Pumpkin Hot Chocolate Recipe

Maple Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats Recipe

Pumpkin Cupcakes and Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting Printable Recipe

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