Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are undeniably one of the best fall treats you can indulge in! They are incredibly pumpkiny, delightfully soft and moist, and boast a perfect blend of autumn spices.
Servings 15
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups 212 grams all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 cup 56 grams unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup 60 milliliters vegetable or canola oil, divided
- 1/2 cup 110 grams packed light-brown sugar
- 1/2 cup 105 grams granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup 236 grams canned pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup 60 milliliters fresh strained orange juice
Frosting
- 8 ounces 225 grams cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup 110 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 cups 380 grams powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, and ground cloves. Set this dry mixture aside.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the brown sugar and granulated sugar until there are no lumps left. Add in the softened butter and half of the oil. Whip until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy. Mix in the remaining oil and then blend in the eggs, one at a time. Finally, incorporate the vanilla extract.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and blend until it's nearly combined. Then, add in the pumpkin puree and orange juice, mixing until nearly combined. Finish by adding the remaining half of the flour mixture and mixing until nearly combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and gently fold the batter with a rubber spatula until fully combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among 14 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the muffin tin for several minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool for about 10 more minutes. Finally, transfer the cooled cupcakes to an airtight container to finish cooling, which helps seal in moisture and keep them moist.
For the cream cheese frosting:
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together the cream cheese and butter until it becomes smooth and fluffy.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and powdered sugar, and continue whipping until the frosting becomes light and fluffy.
- For a more stable consistency, I recommend freezing or chilling the frosting in the refrigerator for a bit. You can return it to the mixer and stir occasionally during this time.
- Once ready, you can pipe or spread the frosting over your cupcakes.
- Store the frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Before serving, allow them to come nearly to room temperature.