Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes (With Cream Cheese Frosting)

These pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are a sweet and decadent treat that’s perfect for fall. Reach for this recipe whenever you need an easy and impressive dessert for pumpkin season that’s sure to be a crowd pleaser.

There’s no shortage of terrific pumpkin cake recipes to choose from this time of year. We’re big fans of this pumpkin pound cake but these easy pumpkin cupcakes are something special.

Maybe it’s the cinnamon flavor infused in creamy homemade cream cheese frosting, or the perfectly moist and sweet cake flavored with real pumpkin. Or maybe it’s the fact that all this decadent gourmet flavor comes from a super easy recipe that starts with a box of yellow cake mix and a can of pumpkin puree.

No matter what you like best about this tasty recipe, we think you’ll want to make these pumpkin spice cupcakes for all your fall celebrations. Just like these Pumpkin Hand Pies and Pumpkin Snickerdoodles, they’re sure to please the pumpkin lovers in your life!

Why We Love This Recipe

Great Holiday Treat – This pumpkin cupcakes recipe is rich and delicious, and full of fall flavor. It’s a great addition your Halloween party or your Thanksgiving dessert table.

Perfect Flavor Combination: The cinnamon spiced cream cheese frosting adds a delicious fall twist and pairs perfectly with the pumpkin cake. The combination is a match made in heaven!

So Easy – We love cake mix recipes like this one that use boxed cake mix as a base. It’s perfect when you need a last minute party treat, because you get all the delicious homemade taste with a fraction of the work!

Ingredients

For The Cupcakes:

• Yellow cake mix – the base for your cupcake recipe
• Water – keeps the cupcakes moist
• Oil – Adds moisture and rich texture to the cupcakes
• Eggs – helps your cupcakes to rise
• Pumpkin puree – adds the delicious pumpkin flavor

For The Frosting:

• Cream cheese, softened – the base for your frosting
• Powdered sugar – sweetens the frosting
• Vanilla extract – adds a delicious hint of vanilla flavor
• Ground cinnamon – adds the fall spice flavor to your frosting
• Heavy whipping cream – creates the thick and creamy texture

How to Make Pumpkin Cupcakes

For the cupcakes

Step 1: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the cake mix, oil, eggs, and water until combined. Be sure to use only half the water that the cake mix box calls for.

Step 3: Add pumpkin puree to the cake batter and whisk to combine.

Step 4: Add the pumpkin cake batter to your muffin tins, filling each cup about ⅔ full. Bake for 15-20 minutes in the preheated oven.

Step 5: Place cupcakes on a wire rack and allow them to cool completely to room temperature.

For the frosting

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.

Step 2: Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Mix well to combine.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, mix the heavy whipping cream for about 2-3 minutes, or until peaks begin to form. Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese frosting.

Step 4: Mix well to combine.

Step 5: Add frosting to a pastry bag with a star tip and frost the cupcakes. Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

• You can substitute white cake mix for the yellow or use a box of spice cake mix for even more fall flavor.
• The cinnamon cream cheese frosting is delicious and versatile – try it on lots of different flavors. Vanilla, chocolate, carrot, and red velvet cupcakes would all be great.
• Use a large cookie scoop to easily portion your batter and fill your muffin tin with no mess.
• For best results, spray a bit of non-stick cooking spray on the inside of your cupcake liners before filling them with the cupcake batter. This allows the paper to peel off easily without sticking.
• Add some chocolate chips or chopped nuts to your batter for extra flavor and texture.

How Do I Store Pumpkin Cupcakes?

Store these in an airtight container in the fridge. They should keep for 3-4 days.

Can I Freeze Them?

You can freeze your cupcakes for up to three months in an airtight container, freezer bag, or Ziploc bag. When ready to serve, let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

More Pumpkin Treats

• Pumpkin Cheesecake Parfaits
• Pumpkin Martinis
• No Bake Pumpkin Lasagna Dessert
• Pumpkin Spice Cake
• Pumpkin Pie Crescent Rolls