Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Attention all pumpkin lovers! Are you looking for that show stopping pumpkin recipe to satisfy your sweet tooth? These pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting will fulfill that craving! These are the perfect fall pumpkin treat with the perfect blend of pumpkin and spices.

My daughters sold these for their 4-H club bake sale. They added the candy pumpkin for a fall-ish appearance. They looked beautiful and sold quickly.

My oldest daughter loves pumpkin-anything and she gave these a thumbs up!

Whether you need a quick dessert, treats for a fall party or just something sweet to leave on your kitchen counter for your husband and the kids, this is an easy, no-strange-ingredients recipe. The cupcakes come out moist and the cream cheese frosting gives that perfect, but not too sweet, topping.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

YIELD: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 1 2/3 cup all purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• Pinch ground nutmeg

• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar (See notes below.)

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 2 eggs

Frosting

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

• 1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

• Pinch salt

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• 12 marshmallow pumpkins, optional

Directions

Pumpkin Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk well to combine.

2. In a large bowl, using a whisk, combine the pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar and the vegetable oil. Be sure to break up any lumps of brown sugar. Whisk the eggs, one at a time into the large bowl.

3. Pour half of the dry mixture into the large bowl and fold with a rubber spatula until combined. Add the second half of the dry mixture. Continue folding with a rubber spatula until all of the dry ingredients are completely mixed.

4. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each cup about 2/3 full.

5. Bake about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake, comes out clean. Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Continue cooling on a wire rack. Do not frost until the cupcakes are completely cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

2. Add the cream cheese, vanilla and salt to the butter. Beat for another 2 minutes. Scrape the sides, as needed, to be sure everything is combined well.

3. While the mixer is on low, gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl, as needed.

4. When the powdered sugar is combined, increase the mixer to medium speed and beat for 1-2 minutes, until the frosting is light and fluffy.

5. Using a decorating bag or a sandwich bag and a decorating tip of choice, decorate the tops of the cupcake.

6. Optional: add a marshmallow pumpkin to the top of each cupcake

NOTES:

• In a pinch, you can use light brown sugar, but the dark brown sugar gives the cupcakes so much more flavor. You will notice a difference. I always make mine with dark brown sugar.

• Because of the cream cheese frosting, be sure to refrigerate the cupcakes if they are not eaten within a few hours. They can be stored for 2-3 days, but I can't imagine them lasting that long in any household! Ours are usually gone within a day!