Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Kristan Roland | Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting bring Fall into season. Perfect for your next tailgating party.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Photo

When I was a young adult, I was all about Summer. I loved the warm weather, long days at the pool with friends, late night sno-cones, and all the freedom that seems to come with long Summer nights. But with age comes wisdom, and I have determined that Fall is where it’s at.

When you think Fall, you think food. Cinnamon flavored, pumpkin-y treats enjoyed indoors after a walk in the crisp air. If said crisp air smells like a backyard bonfire, all the better, am I right? It always puts me in the mood to bake!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Picture

I love baking all kinds of pumpkin treats in the Fall, but cupcakes always have my heart, and these pumpkin cupcakes are absolutely perfect.

These cupcakes make good use of a cake mix. I love homemade cupcakes as much as the next person (if we are being honest, I love all cupcakes -- store bought, from scratch, I don’t even care), but it’s nice to have a quick and easy recipe in your repertoire. Honestly, no one will even know you used a mix, unless you tell them. Which I probably would, but I’d blurt it out awkwardly and at random because social situations are not my forte. And by not my forte, I mean I should probably stay away from crowds at all times. Stephie wrote a cool homemade yellow cake mix recipe though, so if you've made that in advance, you can use that too.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Image

Most recipes for pumpkin cupcakes using a cake mix use spice cake mix, but I opted for yellow mix with this recipe. A dash of cinnamon adds a hint of spice, but the yellow mix really lets the pumpkin flavor shine through. The pumpkin and sour cream keep them moist and fluffy. These are truly the perfect pumpkin cupcake!

Enjoy! And save five for me!

If you're feeling all the fall flavors of these pumpkin cupcakes, we know you'd just love Kristan's apple pie cupcakes too!

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Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

      24 Servings

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:
  • 3 1/2 cups Yellow Cake Mix, Or 1 18 ounce box yellow cake mix
  • 1 15 ounce can Pumpkin
  • 3 large Eggs
  • 1/2 cup Water
  • 1/2 cup Sour Cream
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
For the Frosting:
  • 2 sticks Salted Butter, Slightly Softened
  • 8 ounces Cream Cheese, Slightly Softened
  • 3 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 7 cups Powdered Sugar
  • 2-4 tablespoons Milk, If Needed
  • Cinnamon, For Dusting

Directions

For the Cupcakes:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
  2. In the bowl of your mixer, beat cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, water, sour cream, and cinnamon on low speed for 30 seconds.
  3. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Fill each tin 2/3 full with batter and bake for 15-20 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched in the center.
  4. Remove from oven and let cool completely on wire racks.

 

For the Frosting:

  1. In the bowl of your mixer, beat butter, cream cheese, and vanilla on medium speed until smooth.
  2. With the mixer on LOW speed, slowly add powdered sugar, beating until just barely mixed in.
  3. Once combined, increase speed to high and beat for one minute.
  4. If frosting is too thick, add milk, one tablespoon at a time until spreadable consistency is reached.
  5. Generously frost cupcakes then dust lightly with cinnamon.

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Published:
Modified:
Author:
Cooking Method:
Baking
Cuisine:
Frosting
Category:
Desserts
Tags:
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Related Recipes:
Cupcake Recipes, Dessert Recipes, Party Food Recipes, Baking Recipes, Baked Recipes, Pumpkin Recipes, Fall Recipes, Frosting Recipes
Recipe Yields:
24 cupcakes
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Total Time:
Related Post:
Published:
Author: Kristan Roland
Recipe Yields: 24 cupcakes
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 65 minutes

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 cupcake
Servings Per Recipe 24

Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 100
Calories 265

% Daily Value*
19%
Total Fat 13g
38%
  Saturated Fat 8g
2%
Sodium 41mg
12%
Total Carbohydrate 36g
1%
  Dietary Fiber 1g
  Sugars 35g
4%
Protein 2g

* Percent Daily Value are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrition Facts are estimated based on ingredients and data provided by Fat Secret. Please consult a doctor if you have special dietary needs.
Kristan Roland

About Kristan

Kristan is known for her candy creations and hilarity on Confessions of a Cookbook Queen. We know where her true genius is, though: fanciful fanatical cupcake and cake creations!

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