
If you’re looking for a fall dessert that includes all of the best flavors of the season – pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger – and that just so happens to have a healthy dollop of cream cheese frosting on top, then these cupcakes are definitely for you. Warm, spiced, sweet and utterly addicting. In the oven for only 5 minutes and I could have sworn that time had been thrust forward a few weeks and it was Thanksgiving day. The aroma from the cupcakes was heavenly. I almost said, “I wish I could bottle that smell!” but then realized that I could, in fact, go out and buy a pumpkin pie-scented candle
I owe another nod to my Chief Culinary Consultant for this one, as I was trying to think about what to make to bring to a little Halloween gathering that we were going to and he suggested pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Brilliant, of course! The cupcakes were every bit as scrumptious as I suspected they would be.

The original recipe for these cupcakes includes topping them with little marzipan pumpkins. I was thinking about making some little fondant pumpkins to put on top, but didn’t quite have enough time to do so. I think they would be a perfectly festive addition to the cupcakes! Instead I left some cupcakes plain with just the icing, topped some with candy corn and some others with chopped walnuts. I am thinking that the next time I make these (and there will be many, MANY next times) I will add some maple syrup to the cream cheese icing to bump up the autumn flavors even more.
Do you have a favorite pumpkin recipe?

1 year ago: Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Crumb Cake
2 years ago: Bostini Cream Pie
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Yield: 32 cupcakes
Equipment:
- Standard 12-cup muffin tin
- Paper muffin cup liners
- Stand mixeror hand mixer
- Offset spatulaor pastry bag
with decorating tips
For the Cupcakes:
4 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2½ cups packed light-brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1½ cups canned pumpkin (not pie filling)For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
¾ teaspoon vanilla extractTo Make the Cupcakes:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until just combined. Add pumpkin; beat until just combined.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 3 days in airtight containers.
4. To finish, use an offset spatula or a pastry bag fitted with a decorated tip to top the cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.
To Make the Frosting:
With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, ½ cup at a time, and then vanilla, and mix until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
If not using immediately, frosting can be refrigerated up to 3 days in an airtight container; before using, bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth again.
(Source: Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes
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Oh delish! I love, love, love pumpkin cakes and muffins. I just made some pumpkin cupcakes this wknd, too. I am so embarrassed that they are GONE and I ate them all. My hubby doesn’t do pumpkin. Ooops! Great recipe!!
They sound perfect! Simply delicious.
Those look so good!!!
Those look so good, great Halloween treat!
I love how you are blogging everyday-I am new to your blog and check for updates everyday and now there will be! Yea! So far I have tried your chicken Alfredo, Chili, and chicken and dumplings-we have loved all of them. keep up the good work!
I have a hard time picking a favorite pumpkin recipe. I love them all! These cupcakes look positively scrumptious and the frosting looks so creamy! Wonderful!!
nothing could go wrong with pumpkin baked good plus cream cheese frosting!
your cupcakes looks so irresistible!
I just made the Apple Spice Cupcakes from the same book…now I’ll have to try the Pumpkin ones! The fall flavours are so yummy!
Love pumpkin cake!
These do look like the perfect treat to bring to a party! I can’t get enough pumpkin recipes!
you are always making me hungry hehe
Adorable! I love candy corn as decoration. We have so much of it leftover from halloween I need to figure out a way to incorporate it into something… other than my afternoon snack!
Your pictures are incredible. They make me want to curl up on the couch with a pumpkin spice latte…and of course a pumpkin cream cheese cupcake.
LOVE to hear that you’ll be posting everyday! I look forward to seeing all the delicious posts to come! These cupcakes look amazing and I love the frosting…mmmm irresistable.
Wholly yum and beautiful!
Enjoy!
Love the candy corn decorations.
Cute cupcakes… I love using seasonal candy to decorate cupcakes!
Very cute cupcakes!! Great idea on adding maple syrup to the cream cheese frosting next time. I’ll have to try that. I did something similar where I added molasses to my cream cheese frosting. It was great! Highlighted the caramel undertone in my pumpkin cake (http://hanaaskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/11/hcb-pumpkin-cake-with-molasses-flavored.html).
those look delish! i just had a super yummy pumpkin muffin this weekend at a wedding shower… i asked for the recipe and was shocked by how simple they are: a spice cake mix, 1 can pumpkin, 1 bag cinnamon chips… stir together and bake in a muffin tin… not sure how long… so.good.
Hi
How much maple syrup to add to cream cheese frosting and what grade of maple syrup Grade A, Grade B etc.
Hi Jackie,
I would use 3-4 Tablespoons of maple syrup – Grade A.
Your decorating skills are amazing. I love the way you did your swirl.
Thank you Steph!
What tip # did you use to get that swirl? Thanks
These look amazing and I bet they taste pretty good too!
I too am jealous of your decorating skills! These look wonderful, and I can imagine the smell of pumpkin and spice now!
These look and sound absolutely delicious.
I didn’t care for pumpkin muffins till I had one at Starbucks few months ago and I was hooked.
Great pictures! I’ll have to try these.
Can’t.Get.Enough.Pumpkin! These look scrumptious!
I made these recently too and loved them! I could easily eat that cream cheese frosting with a spoon – yum!! Yours look wonderful. I love that you decorated them in a couple of different ways.
These look wonderful. They’re making me hungry!
Wow! Those look yummy! I just froze 5 pounds of pumpkin that I steamed so I’m looking for some good recipes.
One of my favorites that always gets raves is Butterscotch Pumpkin Pie. It’s a little involved but completely worth it!! I do cheat on the crust though… http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pumpkin-Butterscotch-Pie-350490
I love pumpkin, but a lot of recipes, such as this, calls for buttermilk. Can I substitute whole milk?
Adorable! And I love the cute decor!
I made some pumpkin cupcakes last weekend, and added some cinnamon to the cream cheese frosting. Definitely a fun fall dessert!
http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/pumpkin-cupcakes-with-cinnamon-cream-cheese-frosting/
I made these cupcakes but found that in the recipe it did not mention where to incorporate the flour & spice mixture…
Hi Kris – Thanks for catching that! I left out the words “flour & spice mixture” but it is added at the end, with the buttermilk, before the pumpkin. I have edited the recipe so that it is now correct.
They look amazing. You are very good with a piping bag, I have to say. Mine always look rubbish!
I love the Martha book by the way. I have Cookies as well, and think she gives great inspiration.
I’ll be back. I love the blog. Nice design and great content. A+!!
Two Girls Cooking loves your website. We love your photos and your food always looks amazing. We have a little something posted on our site we’d like for you to stop by and get!
Let us know when you have seen it.
Thanks,
Patricia/Jodi
Two Girls Cooking
http://twogirlscooking.blogspot.com/2009/11/kreativ-blogger-award.html
Hi Jessica,
You could use whole milk, but if you don’t want to buy buttermilk just for the sake of one recipe, you can easily make your own buttermilk. Take 1 Tablespoon of either white vinegar or lemon juice and put into a liquid measuring cup. Add enough milk to fill it to the 1 cup line. Let it sit for 5 minutes, and then use as much as you need.
I am trying this recipe for thanksgiving, can’t wait! One clarification, am I supposed to use 1.5 cups of pumpkin purée or 1.5 cans? If it’s cans, what size can (ie 14 ounces)? Thanks!
if i wanted to add the maple syrup to the frosting do i still add the vanilla extract as well?
Hi Lucy,
You will just love these, they are fabulous! You will want to use 1.5 cups of pumpkin (pumpkin puree) – not 1.5 cans. Enjoy!!
Hi Jaylene,
Yes, I would still include the vanilla extract in addition to the maple syrup. Enjoy the cupcakes!
omg. pancake batter cupcakes? i am making this immediately!!!
I live in Alaska, bush Alaska, so our stores don’t have any cake flour. Will it turn out if I use all-purpose flour? Thank you, I will order my cake flour from King Arthur soon but I can’t wait until then!
Hi Dorothy, You can actually make your own cake flour in a pinch! Combine 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (sift it if you can) and 2 tablespoons cornstarch for every 1 cup of cake flour called for.
I am totally digging your blog! It looks great, your writing is fun and wonderful and the pics make me want to dive right into the screen and eat, eat, EAT. Re: the frosting for these cupcakes and your idea of adding maple syrup to the buttercream next time; how much syrup would you add to not make the buttercream too sticky but just get a hint of maple flavor? Thanks in advance!
Hi Karen, You’re so sweet! I’m so happy to hear how much you’re loving the site! Thank you! Now about that frosting – anywhere from 2 to 5 tablespoons of maple syrup. I would add 2, then taste, see what you think, and add more a tablespoon at a time until you get the taste you want. It won’t get sticky with those quantities.
Michelle! I am singing your praises today (and Martha Stewart) for this amazing cupcake recipe. SO MOIST, SO DELICIOUS, SO PERFECT! Also, they made 32 perfect cupcakes with no batter to spare. I love when I use up everything. I am frosting them this afternoon before a baby shower. I will add maple syrup to the frosting. This recipe rocks!
Yay for awesome cupcakes! So glad you loved these Liz, they are one of my absolute favorites!
for all of you out there…which it sounds like a lot that dont fancy cake as much as other desserts, try making your cake/cupcakes in a muffin top pan-less thick cakeyness and more surface area for FROSTING!!
Love your site!!
Please forgive my ignorance, but I just want to make sure this is correct….
for *this* recipe, I would use 3 cups all purpose flour and 8 tbsp of cornstarch in place of the cake flour?
Love to make now and want to make sure I have the ratio correct!
Thanks in advance for the reply.
PS- Love that you are a hockey fan! I am also, however….GO KINGS!
Hi Nicole, Yes, you are correct! Enjoy the cupcakes!
Kings are a great team, love watching them play when I catch them on TV!
This recipe was a hit! I made these cupcakes for my Mom’s birthday and she loved them. Next time though I might try a less sweet cream cheese frosting- I found this one a little too sweet for my taste. Thanks for sharing all of your great recipes and ideas, I love checking in to see what you’re baking.
Hi Breanna, Thanks so much for stopping back to share! So happy you enjoyed these, and happy belated birthday to your mom!
I just made these for a party I went to lastnight and they were a big hit! People who hate pumpkin things loved these cupcakes! =]
Yay! Always fantastic when you can convert supposed pumpkin haters!
Oh my goodness! These cupcakes are amazing, the first time i made them, i put the amount of cloves in, but it was too much clove for my taste. I used a little less the next time, and they were spot on!
Awesome to hear Maddie! Glad you got them perfect to suit your taste!
made these for a church potluck and they were great!! i know i have seen this before, but what number do you use for piping. i thought i bought the right one, but it is still too small!
Hi Emily, I use a Wilton 1M for just about all of the cupcakes you see on here (the ones with the swirl).
Hi!
I made these about a month and they were a hit! I want to make them again for a friend’s birthday that LOVES everything pumpkin. I want to use a mini muffin pan this time instead of a standard one. How long should I bake them for?
Thanks!
Hi Caroline, Usually when I do mini muffins or cupcakes, I start checking around 8 minutes just to be safe. You might have to check, put them back in a minute or two, check again, etc. but better than overbaking I think!
Yum! I’ve been wanting to make these all month and finally got around to it. They are so good! I added maple extract to the frosting – it’s got a stronger flavor than syrup and you don’t have to worry about stickiness or getting the frosting too liquidy.
Thanks for all the great recipes!
Great idea with the maple extract! I am going to have to pick up some of that!
I tried this recipe last week and they tasted good by themselves, but once you add the cream cheese frosting then they are delicious. I didn’t have all the different spices in my cupboard, but I did have a pumpkin spice mix so then I added 2 Tbsp to my batter. Once out of the oven, you don’t taste the spice as much, but the next day the amount of spice in the cupcakes were just right. I guess the cupcakes needed a day to get the flavor fully infused. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome! I love letting cupcakes sit for a day in an airtight container before frosting and serving; they get so moist!
I made 3 dozen of these cupcakes for Thanksgiving and they turned out GREAT!!! I recommend this recipe to everyone! The cupcakes smelled so good baking in the oven and tasted even better! This is one recipe being added to my Thanksgiving menu! Thank you for sharing!
Yay for Thanksgiving awesomeness! Thanks for the comment, and you are most welcome for the recipe!
My sons birthday is on Halloween and I want to make him these cupcakes for his 1st birthday party. I would like to use fresh pumpkin instead of canned. I have never made anything with an actual pumpkin. What do I need to do? Thank you.
Hi Becky, You can use fresh pureed pumpkin, but it will likely be thinner than canned, so you may need to compensate with more flour. Since each instance is different, there is no hard and fast substitution.
I just made these cupcakes, and they are amazing. The clove and pumpkin steal the show and taste absolutely amazing. I’m making them again next week!
I am hosting a lunch for my ladies’ tennis team tomorrow. Six hours ago searched Google for a pumpkin cupcake recipe to make for dessert since I am serving butternut squash soup (wanted to do a fall squash thing). Anyway, I found this recipe. IT IS THE BEST THAT I HAVE EVER TASTED! It is so moist and melts in your mouth. Thanks for such a great recipe! Instead of cupcakes, I decided to pour the batter into my large Sam’s Wholesale Club cookie sheet to make cake squares. I baked it than let it cool. I added the delish cream cheese frosting than cut into perfect cubes. I can not believe how wonderful this is!!! Too bad that I am dieting! shhhhhh!
Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe! I baked the batter in mason jars for our daughter’s first birthday party. They were so good! The icing was wonderful as well. I will be making these again and again.
An entire tablespoon of ginger? This is a solid recipe, but unless you really love ginger, you may considering reducing the amount to 1/2 or 1 teaspoon. I found the ginger to be too prominent for my tastes.
Just my thoughts. As always, your mileage may vary. Enjoy!
once frosted, do these HAVE to be refrigerated. I am making them now for a lunch tomorrow, and want to know if i can just keep them covered in tupperware or if they need to go in the frig. thanks, and they smell great!
It’s not necessary. I find that refrigerating cupcakes tend to dry them out, so usually I want to frost until the day I serve them, but if you keep them at room temperature overnight you’ll be fine.
I made this last weekend. They were AMAZING! Shared with friends and family, and they were a huge hit! Thanks!!
I just finished making these and the flavor is wonderful! I can cook/bake, but still learning the techniques to perfection. I have two things – the frosting seems almost frothy instead of creamy and the cupcake was a little crumbly. Did I beat the cream cheese and butter for the frosting too long? And why crumbly cupcake?
I will try recipe again very soon and want to make them even better…..
Thank you! I can’t wait to try the red velvet and the lemon!
Hi Brandi, The cupcakes may have been overmixed, or baked too long/too high of a temperature. I’m honestly not sure what could have caused the icing to be frothy – if the same measurements were used it should have been creamy.
Our Great Harvest sells pumpkin muffins that have choc chips in them…….wondered what it would do these?? Do you think they would enhance or compete??? Anxious to give them a try. All of your cupcake recipes I have tried have been very good. Cupcake Wars has nothing on you!!!! Sue
Hi Sue, I’ve tried pumpkin bread with chocolate chips before, and just don’t care for the combination myself, so I never make anything with pumpkin and chocolate, but if you like it then by all means give it a try!
I found this recipe (and site) while searching for pumpkin cupcake recipes, and I am so glad I did!
I used pumpkin pie spice in place of the nutmeg and cloves, and evaporated milk instead of buttermilk because I didn’t have everything on hand, but I followed the rest of the recipe to the letter, and they were perfect! My BF said they were fluffy and light, but deliciously rich at the same time, and I fully agree.
Thank you so much
Now to try some of the other recipes on here…
This was a great recipe! Just made these today. The only thing that was a bit much was the tablespoon of ginger, I used less. They are light and moist. Wonderful!
These are absolutely amazing! Thank you for posting this recipe. I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes.
Great recipe! I just made these for Thanksgiving tomorrow but did a Maple Cream Cheese Frosting yummy!