With pumpkin puree and a dash of pumpkin pie spice, these Pumpkin cupcakes are so soft, moist, flavorful, and pair perfectly with the delicious Cinnamon cream cheese frosting!
When fall rolls around and you start making pumpkin pie and pumpkin cookies, don’t forget about these pumpkin cupcakes!! They’re the only type of cupcake you’ll want to make this season. 😉
easy fall cupcakes
Are you sick of the pumpkin recipes yet? I hope NOT!! Fall is just starting so I’m hoping you’re prepared for the bombardment of pumpkin recipes the next month (pumpkin bread, pumpkin brownies, pumpkin cake – we’ve got it all!).
This next recipe is one that I’ve been wanting to make for years!! I’ve seen recipes for Pumpkin Cupcakes but most required a TON of ingredients and time, and I just wasn’t up for it.
We went to the kitchen and created the perfect easy pumpkin cupcake that we think you will LOVE! We decided that if we’re going to make Pumpkin Cupcakes, we HAVE to make a Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting to go with them, which is exactly what I did.
The family all agreed the frosting was their favorite part of the dessert!
Simple with the help of a box mix
Because these cupcakes are made with the help of a cake mix, they are very simple!
MIX. To make these pumpkin spice cupcakes, combine the cake mix (PLUS ingredients on back, minus the water), pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree. Add vanilla and cinnamon and mix well.
BAKE. Pour the pumpkin cupcake batter into liners in muffin tins and bake for 17-20 minutes. Tip: We like to use our large cookie scoop to put them in the liners the easiest way. Once they come out of the oven, let cool before adding your frosting.
What if I don’t have yellow cake mix? No worries! You can make your own! Just whisk together 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt plus 4 tbsp butter (1/2 stick). Use a pastry butter to blend in the butter, and you’re set!
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
I think the cinnamon cream cheese frosting could pair well with other types of cakes and cupcakes, but I assure you… It was the PERFECT match for these pumpkin spice cupcakes. Total match made in heaven.
And it’s nothing too fancy, in fact it only takes 5 ingredients!
- cream cheese
- butter
- vanilla
- powdered sugar
- cinnamon
All you have to do is combine the ingredients and beat until smooth. Make sure you start with room temperature butter for best results! Otherwise the frosting can look clumpy.
I used a frosting tip to make these pretty swirls, but you can even put the frosting in a Ziploc bag, cut the tip off with scissors (less for fine swirls, more for thick swirls) and pipe the frosting on like that.
How to Decorate + Store
Decorations: We added a mallow pumpkin on top, be you can leave those off or even add sprinkles.
Storing: They can stay at room temp for a few hours but need to be refrigerated for up to 3-4 days to last longer. If they have cream cheese frosting on top, they definitely need to be in the fridge!
My kids have never really been BIG fans of pumpkin recipes, but they absolutely loved these cupcakes. They, too, were slightly obsessed with the frosting and may have licked the bowl clean when it was made.
Glad to have found another “TWO THUMBS UP” pumpkin recipe for the blog.
For more pumpkin recipes, check out:
- Pumpkin Dump Cake
- Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Muffins
- Pumpkin Delight Dessert
- Mini Pumpkin Pies
- Pumpkin Waffles
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe
The secret to these EASY Pumpkin Cupcakes is a box of yellow cake mix. With pumpkin puree and a dash of pumpkin pie spice, these cupcakes are so soft, moist, flavorful, and pair perfectly with the delicious cream cheese frosting!
Ingredients
- 1 box Yellow Cake Mix (plus ingredients listed on back minus the water)
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 15 oz can pumpkin puree
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz PHILADELPHIA cream cheese softened
- 1/4 c butter softened
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 c powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- candy pumpkins (optional)
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350.
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Prepare cake mix as directed on box, but add pumpkin pie spice and substitute pumpkin puree for the water. Add vanilla and cinnamon.
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Pour batter into cupcake liners in muffin tins.
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Bake for 17-20 minutes.
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Let cool completely.
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Combine ingredients for frosting in a medium bowl and beat until smooth.
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Pipe or spread frosting on and top with a Candy Pumpkin if desired. ENJOY!
I am definitely not sick of pumpkin recipes! Pinned!
Did you add the entire can of pumpkin puree or only enough to replace water?
I’m curious about this as well? The whole 15 oz can or just the amount of water called for in the recipe?
Yes, the whole can. 🙂
I wanted to know if I can make this as a sheet cake? If I can how long do I bake it for?
I haven’t tried, but you totally could 🙂 I would maybe do 20 minutes.
The entire can. 😉
These are SO pretty!!
THANK YOU!!!
Yum! These look delicious! Pinning! xo
How many does this make?
It makes between 18-24 cupcakes. 🙂
How would you alter the recipe to put in a bundt cake pan? I want to make it look like a pumpkin by doubling the recipe
Hmmmm… I would look on a standard cake mix box and see what the time is for 2 circle pans and work off of that. 😉
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I love anything pumpkin! These sound amazing! 🙂
I am going to make these..love pumpkin!!
Let me know how it goes!!
I’m making these right now! Bringing them to a birthday party for a friend. I made some full size cupcakes, and some mini cupcakes. They smell delicious!
My frosting ended up a little runny. Could you suggest something to help?
You can add more powdered sugar to give it a thicker consistency, just a little at a time until its how you like it. 🙂
Yes, you can! Thanks for the comment. 🙂
I would add more powdered sugar to stiffen it up a bit. 😉
Hi,
Am making your cupcakes and am so excited… but, maybe on the top where you say all ingredients on the back… you should note there that you are substituting pumpkin for water! Those of us who have been baking for years don’t tend to read all the recipe before starting! Especially cupcakes! Thank you!
Thanks for the suggestion – just updated the recipe. I highly recommend reading the whole recipe first though. 😉
How many does this make?
I was able to get about 16 cupcakes out of this recipe. 😉
I made these and got 20. Of course, they didn’t last long! Huge hit at the halloween party and my teenage daughter has requested them for thanksgiving!
I have made these every weekend for the past 3 weeks. Everyone loves them. I made them for a 6 year old’s birthday, an 8 year old’ s birthday, a treat at my quilt guild, and work. They make they house smell good too!
Oh, I LOVE to hear that Sandy!! Sounds like they are a hit. And I hope they were easy too! 😀
I made these yesterday and put a little twist on them: a churro-like topping. They were super yummy! Even my hubby who says he “hates” pumpkin liked them. Great recipe! http://www.onpurposehome.com/2014/11/21/pumpkin-churro-cupcakes/
Kim
Great idea!! So glad even the hubby liked them. 😉
Can I use white cake mix instead?…
You sure could 😉
i think i did something wrong when do u add the vanilla and cinamon to the cupcakes
Yes I am getting ready to make these and I have the same question
Just updated the recipe. 😉
Thanks! I did that hoping I was correct!
these look yummy, bet they would be even better with a boxed spice cake! Definitely going to try yours. Thank you for sharing.
Michelle
Anyone try this with the spiced cake mix??
I was thinking of doubling the batch, but doing one box White cake one spiced? Any thoughts?
Hi eat,let want to make these but one question…….do I have to sift the powdered sugar before making the frosting?
No, you do not. 😉
Can i use the Libby Pumpkin Puree can? I read on a different site that using this for cupcakes won’t work. Thanks!
I am a pumpkin lover! Gotta make these little cuppy cakes!!
Could you make these as mini-cupcakes? How long would you bake them for?
Of course!! I would start checking them maybe around 12 min and you could always add a min each time. I haven’t made them as mini ones before, so I couldn’t say exactly how long. Hope that helps!!
What if the yellow box recipe only calls for 3 eggs and 1/2 cup oil? It doesn’t say anything about water. Do I still use entire can of pumpkin along with oil and eggs? It’s pillsbury brand mix. Thanks!
You make the mix according to the directions on the box, but minus the water and the pumpkin puree with replace that. Hope that helps 🙂 Let me know what you think!
What if the box doesn’t say water at all? We are making these in school. I’m a teacher ????
I made these this weekend and they were delicious yet a big blander than I anticipated. Maybe they couks be pumped up a little but with more pumpkin pie spice?
Thanks for the recipe!
You could definitely add more pumpkin spice if you want! Thanks for letting me know and giving them a try!
I too have been in search of an easy pumpkin cupcake and the frosting looks so creamy. Thank you for posting it
Well, I hope this recipe helps! You are so welcome! Hope you like them!
Hi if I use spice cake mix instead of yellow cake mix would i still add the pumpkin pie spice or would i just leave it out?
I haven’t tried, but you could make it, see if it’s the taste you want, then maybe add a little more or maybe it would be just enough. Hope that helps!
These came out so good. This is a great recipe for an easy pumpkin pie cupcake.
Yay, I’m so glad! Thank you so much for sharing!
No eggs?
Love your recipes!!!
Thanks so much!!
If you cannot find pumpkin purée can you use a can of pumpkin?
Thanks
Linda
I need to bake these on Sunday. Please let me know.
I’m sure it will turn out fine, though I haven’t personally tried. I bet it will taste good, still 🙂
Do I need to add water to the pumpkin, since it’s not the purée?
Thanks,
Linda
No, I wouldn’t 🙂
Could I substitute white cake mix for the yellow? And can these be made into mini cupcakes?
Yes & Yes 🙂 Let me know what you think! Thank you!
I’m loving these recipe, can’t wait to try them
Yay, I’m glad! Let me know what you think, when you do! Thank you 🙂
These are basically like a pumpkin roll, but not as much effort. Really good when you feel like something warm and rich with spice in it, in the fall.
Most definitely!! Thanks so much for stopping by!
What a perfect fall treat! I’ll take all the pumpkin I can get this time of year. Yum!!
xo Michael
I am with ya!! Thank you so much for sharing!
I wish that all of the cinnamon icing would make it onto the cupcakes, but more made it into my mouth. It’s soooo good!
LOL!!! I know what you mean! Glad you liked it!
These look so easy and I love that they have pumpkin in them! They are perfect for fall!
They are super easy 🙂 I hope you give them a try! Thank you!
Love the little pumpkins you’ve added on top. So cute!
Thank you!! They add a nice touch 🙂
This looks like the perfect way to welcome in Fall and all things pumpkin! I think I may be eating that frosting by the spoon!
Haha!! That’s ok 🙂 I am glad you liked them!!
You say that if you don’t have a cake mix, you can make your own and you give a substitute recipe. You talk about cutting in the butter, but don’t say how much butter to put in.
Sooo do you substitute pumpkin purée for the water?? So do you only do the amount it says on the back or the whole can of pumpkin?
Yes, don’t do the water on the back of the box, but add 15 oz can of the puree instead 🙂
Lovely recipe. Want to try it using the cake mix substitute u mentioned. It says to cut in the 1/2 cup butter. So do i omit the ‘1/2 cup OIL’ i’m supposed to add to the mix? thanks.
This recipe calls for a box of yellow cake mix, What size? The 18.25 or 16.25?
So i made these tonight, and iam not aire why they cooked faster than the Suggested cooking. Ttime, it may have to do woth the fact i used the yellow cake mix that was without butter. Next time i will use that, i did however use one box yellow and one box spiced batter was good cupcake was decent, may jave been more moist if i used that Yellow cake with butter instead of oil. I will make the frosting tom which im sure will be good..
I made these cupcakes and they were so moist and delicious !!!!
I am so glad you think so 🙂 Thank you for trying them!
In the paragraph way above it just says too add the cake mix, spices, and puree… Down lower here i read to use all ingredients except the water from the back of the box but i had already made them. They still taste really good but i think they would taste better had i added the eggs and oil. It was slightly confusing to have the directions at the top and bottom of the page with them being different. Thank god they turned out! My husband loved them!
I will need to change that. Thanks for letting me know 🙂 I am glad he still loved them!
Really delicious cupcAkes! VeRy easy to make! I Made a bunch for my Kiddo’s class halloween party!
Thank you so much!! I am so glad you tried them 🙂
I received so many compliments from co-workers. They hunted me down to tell me how good this was. I made into a sheet cake. You definitely need to cook for the longest time if not a few minutes more for the sheet cake version.
Great idea!! I am glad everyone loved it! Thank you so much for letting me know!
What a perfect fall treat!
Awe, thank you so much!!
Can you freeze the frosting?
I personally have not tried, so I can’t honestly tell you how it will turn out. It should be ok 🙂
I can’t wait to make this recipe! It seems perfect for get-togethers since there are 24 cupcakes and not the 12-15 from a cake mix.
It really is!! Sure hope you like them as much as we do 🙂
I CHOSE to make the cake part from scratch.. followed the rest of the recipe as written but I’m a lover of really tasting my flavors so I decided to double the pumpkin pie spice & cinnamon both in the batter & frosting…. delicious!!! This recipe is a fall home run & I will be sharing it w/several friends!!! Thanks!!
Thanks for sharing it 🙂 A cake from scratch is perfect! Sounds delicious!