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long white tray with 5 pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting topped with sugared pecans scrabble tiles "pumpkin" mini white pumpkin
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Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These are the moistest pumpkin cupcakes you will ever eat! And SO easy to make.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword bundt cake, cupcake, fall dessert, muffin, pumpkin, pumpkin cupcake, pumpkin muffin, sweet bread, thanksgiving dessert
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 12 cupcakes
Cost 10

Equipment

  • 1 electric mixer
  • 1 muffin tin
  • 12 cupcake liners

Ingredients

  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 8 ounces canned pumpkin puree
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into chunks (full fat, not low fat or spreadable )
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice add more if you prefer a little more spice

Instructions

  • Add cake mix, pudding mix, pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, and cinnamon to bowl of stand mixer.
  • Mix on low speed just until combined.
  • Put cupcake liners in muffin tin.
  • Pour batter into each liner until about 2/3 full.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  • Remove from oven and remove cupcakes from tin. Place on wire rack to cool.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Add unsalted butter, and cream cheese chunks to mixing bowl.
  • Using an electric or stand mixer, beat on high until completely combined.
  • Sift powdered sugar into the butter/cream mixture and blend until completely incorporated.
  • Don't omit sifting the sugar. It will make a big difference in how smooth your frosting is.
  • Add pumpkin pie spice and blend just until incorporated. Again, you can add more of the spice if you prefer. I recommend a taste test first.
  • Using a cake decorator piping bag with a large round tip, pipe the frosting onto your cupcakes. If you don't have a piping bag, you can use a sandwich bag and cut the tip off of a corner.
  • Start on the outside edge and use a circular motion around the cupcake ending up in the center.

Notes

I like to add chopped sugared pecans to the top of my muffins.  
You can buy these premade at the grocery store, or make your own.  
You could also sprinkle a bit of cinnamon sugar on top or add a fall piece of candy like a small pumpkin or a candy corn.