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Everyone loves these decadent Pumpkin Cupcakes. They are so easy to make and the cream cheese frosting is heavenly. The entire recipe is super easy and sure to impress.
Did you enjoy the pumpkin cake recipe? Well, I have a similar recipe to share with you today that I think you are going to love – pumpkin cupcakes! This pumpkin cupcake recipe is so easy, delicious and would make an easy Halloween Recipe.
I made a delicious, yet equally simple cream cheese frosting to top these pumpkin cupcakes for one fabulous pumpkin dessert. Everyone goes crazy over them and I think you will see why after you make them.
It is the perfect fall flavor dessert recipe that you can enjoy for the holidays and more. Make this Easy Pumpkin Crisp Recipe or Easy Pumpkin Roll Recipe for the perfect fall dessert.
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Recipe:
There is so much delicious pumpkin flavor and it is one of our favorite pumpkin recipes. The frosting recipe is easy and everyone will love these pumpkin spiced baked goods.
Whether you make regular size cupcakes or mini cupcakes, they are so easy and absolutely delicious. The cupcakes are so light and fluffy and just an all around great recipe.
Ingredients:
- Boxed Cake Mix
- Homemade Pumpkin Puree
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
- Cubed Butter, softened
- Cream Cheese, softened
- Powdered Sugar
- Milk
Variations:
- Cake Variation – Feel free to use different flavors of box cake mix. We have made this recipe with spice cake, white cake and even a gluten free cake mix.
- Pumpkin Puree – Make sure to use pumpkin puree instead of pumpkin pie filling. You can make your own or use store bought.
- Warm Spices – Feel free to add in ground cinnamon, ginger, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves instead of pumpkin pie spice.
Step by Step Instructions:
Step 1 – Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare muffin tin with paper liners. Mix together cake mix and canned pumpkin in a large bowl. Mix until well combined. You can also easily make homemade canned pumpkin too.
Step 2 – Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with pumpkin cupcake mixture. This will make 12 cupcakes.
Step 3 – Bake at 350 F for 12-16 minutes or until top of cupcake bounces back when pressed down lightly and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool.
Step 4 – Cream together butter and cream cheese with electric mixer with whisk attachment. Slowly add powdered sugar, whisking for 3-4 minutes. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk if the icing is too thick. Once cupcakes cooled, frost and enjoy.
Recipe Tips:
- Prepare Muffin Tin – If you have cupcake liners place in the muffin pan. If you don’t have any, you can spray cooking spray in the pan to easily remove cupcakes.
- Filling Cupcake Batter – When filling the cupcake liners with the batter, do not overfill. You want to give room for the cupcakes to expand as they bake.
- Frosting Cupcakes – Cool completely before frosting the cupcakes.
- Making the Frosting – Slowly add in the powdered sugar to obtain the consistency that you prefer. If it comes out to thick, you can add in a tablespoon of milk at a time to thin it out.
Can I Make Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes?
Yes, this recipe would also be perfect to make mini cupcakes. Just use a a mini-muffin pan. This is the perfect size for little hands or when you want smaller portions. What a fun treat!
The kids get excited because they get to eat more than one since they are mini size. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time if you decide to make mini pumpkin cupcakes.
The mini cupcakes do not take as long to bake.
How to Serve:
These are so pretty displayed on a cupcake stand. I have one that I use for all my birthday parties, holidays and more. They come in so handy! You could also put some of the cupcakes on a pretty cake stand.
If you need to transport your cupcakes, these cupcake carries are so handy! You can even get one of the double or triple ones to carry even more cupcakes!
This is especially nice if you are taking the cupcakes to school or a cookout. There isn’t anything worse than ruined cupcakes in the back of a car!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Store the leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge. They will stay fresh for up to 5 days.
Yes, you can freeze the Pumpkin Cupcakes. If you plan on freezing them, I would wait to frost them.
Make sure they are at room temperature before freezing in a freeze container. They will stay fresh for up to 2 months when stored properly in the freezer.
When ready to enjoy, thaw on the counter.
More Easy Cupcake Recipes:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
- Easy Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- The Best Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe
- 45 Best Cream Cheese Desserts
We love hearing from you. If you make this Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cake Mix Recipe, make sure to leave a comment or a star review.
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 box Cake Mix
- 2 cups pumpkin puree (or 1 can 100% pumpkin. Make sure you also see how to make pumpkin puree easily to save you money.)
- pumpkin pie spice
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup cubed butter (softened)
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
- Mix together cake mix and pumpkin. Mix until well combined.
- Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. This will make 12 cupcakes.
- Bake at 350 Fahrenheit for 12-16 minutes or until top of cupcake bounces back when pressed down lightly.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely before topping with frosting.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Cream together butter and cream cheese with electric mixer with whisk attachment.
- Slowly add powdered sugar, whisking for 3-4 minutes. Add up to 1 tablespoon of milk if the icing is too thick.
- Once cooled, frost the cupcakes. You can add a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice for added flavor and presentation.
Yes, I would refrigerate them when not serving them with the cream cheese frosting. Thank you!
Does it need to be refrigerated due to cream cheese icing? Thanks second time making but 1st making in advance.
Yes, that’s correct. Use 2 cups of the homemade puree or 1 can of pumpkin. I hope your granddaughter and you enjoy them!
I assume the can of pumpkin is the one equal to 2 cups? This would be great for my granddaughter who is allergic to eggs and it is hard to make a cakelike dessert for her.
Yes, here is a great pumpkin cake recipe that I love! https://www.eatingonadime.com/pumpkin-cake/
How much pumpkin spice ..recipe doesnt specify
Can you use this recipe and just make a 9×13 cske?
I tried it with beet purée & chocolate cake mix tonight, this is a game changer for whipping up healthy cupcakes without the kids suspecting a thing! Thank you for such a simple way of making cupcakes!!! Would it work to still add some eggs to the recipe by decreasing the amount of puréed vegetable? I’d love to add some protein in there as well! Thanks!!
Great recipe!!
Made some for coffee time at Church.
Thanks!
I live the dump cake recipes and make them often. I was so glad to find your recipe for the Mandarin cake will try that soon.
I also sprinkle in some cinnamon and a dash or two of nutmeg in with the pumpkin. I have also used the pumpkin in box mix of carrot cake, and butter pecan cake mix. Also my recipe calls for 1/2 cup water but I usually use milk. I have also used frozen blueberries, peaches and berries. I usually mush up the fruit to make some juice but find that they benefit from the milk for moisture.
I love your site and have found a lot of great recipes and especially like the freezer meals, I only wish you would include the nutritional values so that I can also take that into consideration when choosing a recipe. I also strongly believe that people who are over weight do not realize how many calories can be in a recipe, I found a recipe on another site that had 860 calories in each serving, that one even surprised me.
Thank you! Made them today and they turned out awesome!
You are just using the box cake mix, not following the directions on the box
It does not specify weather or not to use ingredients required for mixing box cake.
Do you use dry mix and pumpkin purée only?
Or do you add eggs, oil and water plus purée?
Thank you for clarifying!
Linda