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Pumpkin Cupcakes

Soft, buttery, warmly spiced pumpkin cupcakes made with melted butter and bloomed spices for the deepest pumpkin spice flavour. Topped with a silky brown sugar cream cheese frosting that takes them completely over the top. No mixer for the batter, ready in 50 minutes.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chill Time 30 minutes
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin cupcakes:
  • 3/4 cup 165g unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 and 1/4 cups 150g all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 cup 100g granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup 50g packed light brown sugar
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup 225g pure pumpkin puree
  • 2 large eggs room temperature, lightly beaten
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp milk
Brown sugar cream cheese frosting:
  • 8 oz 226g full-fat block cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup 110g unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 tbsp packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 3 cups 375g powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 to 2 tbsp heavy cream optional

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. Melt butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Immediately whisk in pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. Set aside to cool completely.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, both sugars, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.
  4. Once butter is cool, stir in pumpkin puree. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk to combine. Stir in milk.
  5. Add dry ingredients to wet and fold gently until just combined. Do not overmix and do not use an electric mixer.
  6. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each two-thirds to three-quarters full.
  7. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  8. Cool in pan 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.
  9. For frosting: beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add brown sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat 30 seconds. Add powdered sugar gradually on low speed. Add heavy cream if using and beat on high 30 seconds until silky.
  10. Pipe or spread frosting over completely cooled cupcakes.

Notes

  • Storage: keep at room temperature in an airtight container up to 48 hours, or refrigerated up to 5 days. Let sit at room temperature 15 minutes before eating if refrigerated.
  • Freezing: freeze unfrosted cupcakes well-wrapped up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and frost before serving.
  • Do not use pumpkin pie filling — pure pumpkin puree only.
  • The butter must be cool before adding eggs — warm butter scrambles them.
  • Full-fat block cream cheese only for the frosting — tub-style makes it runny.