This is an easy fall pumpkin cupcake recipe made with moist, pumpkin cake and topped with homemade cream cheese frosting.
These are the perfect fall pumpkin-themed cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. They taste just like pumpkin bars but in a pretty decorated cupcake.
If you’re looking for more fall cupcake flavors check out my 36 fun fall cupcake flavors!
Ingredients for Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Shortening
- Granulated Sugar
- Large Egg
- All-Purpose Flour
- Pumpkin Puree
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Water
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting
- Confectioners’ Sugar
- Butter
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Cream Cheese
How to Make Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 24 regular-sized cupcake tins with cupcake liners.
- In a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream shortening, and sugar together.
- Add vanilla, egg, water, and pumpkin puree and blend well. Add flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Spoon approximately 3 tablespoons of batter into each cupcake liner.
- Bake for 17-20 minutes until the tops spring back and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Frost cupcakes when they are fully cooled.
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, mix together butter, cream cheese, and vanilla.
- Slowly add confectioners’ sugar until well blended. If too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk.
- Top with sprinkles of cinnamon or add candy pumpkins.
How to Decorate Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Obviously, spreading frosting on top of cupcakes with a butter knife is really simple and easy to do. If you are looking for more decorative cupcakes, try using icing bags and icing tips. It’s easy when you get the hang of it!
I used Wilton’s 1M icing tip on the cupcakes in the photos.
Some fall cupcake decorating ideas include adding sprinkles of cinnamon on the frosting (like in the photo below), gold or orange sprinkles, mini pumpkin candies (also in the photo below), fine crumbles of pumpkin cake on top, or leaving plain with decorative frosting.
Check out my cupcake baking guide that answers all of your questions about baking, ingredient substitutes, and decorating the perfect cupcakes!
Try these other tasty treats!
- 24 Karat Gold Cupcakes
- Apple Butter Cupcakes
- Boozy Apple Slushies
- Caramel Cupcakes with Caramel Filling
- Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Iced Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Bars
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins
- Snow Ice Cream
Pumpkin Cupcakes
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cupcakes
- ½ cup Shortening
- 2 cups Granulated Sugar
- 1 Large Egg
- 2 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 ½ cups Pumpkin Puree
- ½ cup Water
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 pounds Confectioners’ Sugar
- ½ cup Butter, softened
- 16 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 24 regular-sized cupcake tins with cupcake liners.
- In a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream shortening and sugar together. Add vanilla, egg, water, and pumpkin puree and blend well. Add flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Spoon approximately 3 tablespoons of batter into each cupcake liner.
- Bake for 17-20 minutes until the tops spring back and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Mix together butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar until well blended.
- Top with sprinkles of cinnamon or add candy pumpkins.
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