These easy pumpkin cupcakes and made with a box cake mix for the base and then topped with a spiced cream cheese frosting. Every bite is full of flavors that are perfect for Fall. You're going to love every last bite of these sweet treats.
These pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are packed full of flavor thanks to pureed pumpkin and spices like cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
Making pumpkin cupcakes with cake mix helps to give a wonderful flavor and texture with very little work and that's just one more reason to love this simple recipe. Every pumpkin spice cupcake is moist and fluffy and the frosting is tangy sweet, a perfect combination.
🥘 Ingredients
For the cupcakes, you will need:
- Yellow cake mix
- Eggs
- Pumpkin puree
- Vegetable oil
- Milk
- Granulated sugar
- Cinnamon
- Pumpkin pie spice
For the spiced cream cheese frosting, you will need:
- Cream cheese
- Butter
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Pumpkin pie spice
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
🍽 Equipment Needed
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- Muffin tin
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Electric mixer
🔪 Instructions
Check out how to make easy pumpkin cupcakes with these simple step-by-step instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine all of the pumpkin cupcake ingredients until well blended.
Fill each muffin cup with batter until it's about ⅔rds of the way full.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.
Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once all of the cupcakes have cooled you can prepare the frosting.
Make the frosting by blending together the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy.
Slowly add in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time until fully incorporated and smooth.
Frost the cupcakes and enjoy.
🍴 Recipe Tips
For the perfect results, follow the pumpkin cupcakes recipe exactly unless otherwise noted.
Make sure that you use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling as there is a large difference and pie filling will cause your cupcakes to not turn out correctly.
You can use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar if desired. The flavors will change to be a bit richer depending on how dark of brown sugar you used, as the molasses makes the cupcakes have a deeper flavor.
💭 FAQs
If the cupcakes are not frosted then it is okay to leave them in an airtight container at room temperature. If they have been frosted with cream cheese frosting then they must be stored in the fridge for food safety. They will last 3-5 days either way.
Yes, you can freeze these cupcakes frosted or plain. Start by placing the cupcakes on a baking sheet to freeze until solid (about an hour or two) and then transfer to an airtight container to freeze in for up to 3 months. Thaw before eating. You can freeze the pumpkin spice cupcakes with cream cheese frosting but they will be harder to store and handle. I'd recommend frosting after the cupcakes have thawed for best results.
More great recipes to try
- Baking Powder Biscuits
- Oreo Pie Crust with Sprinkles
- Homemade Peach Pie Filling
- Strawberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Crustless Veggie Quiche
- Creamy Roasted Garlic and Tomato Pasta
📖 Recipe
Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes
Equipment
- Muffin tin
Ingredients
- 1 box (15.25oz) Yellow cake mix ($1.00)
- 4 large Eggs ($0.32)
- 1 can (15oz) Pumpkin puree ($2.62)
- ½ cup Vegetable oil ($0.24)
- ¼ cup Milk ($0.08)
- ¼ cup Granulated sugar ($0.06)
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon ($0.05)
- 1 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice ($0.10)
Spiced cream cheese frosting
- 8 ounces Cream cheese, softened ($1.98)
- ½ cup Butter, room temp ($0.75)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract ($0.02)
- 3 cups Powdered sugar ($0.69)
- ½ teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice ($0.05)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all of the pumpkin cupcake ingredients until well blended.
- Fill each muffin cup with batter until it's about ⅔rds of the way full.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.
- Let cool 5 minutes in the pan before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.
- Once all of the cupcakes have cooled you can prepare the frosting.
- Make the frosting by blending together the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy.
- Slowly add in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Frost the cupcakes and enjoy.
Notes
Recipe Tips
- For the perfect results, follow the pumpkin cupcakes recipe exactly unless otherwise noted. Make sure that you use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling as there is a large difference and pie filling will cause your cupcakes to not turn out correctly.
- You can use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar if desired. The flavors will change to be a bit richer depending on how dark of brown sugar you used, as the molasses makes the cupcakes have a deeper flavor.
Storage
- If the cupcakes are not frosted then it is okay to leave them in an airtight container at room temperature. If they have been frosted with cream cheese frosting then they must be stored in the fridge for food safety. They will last 3-5 days either way.
- You can freeze these cupcakes frosted or plain. Start by placing the cupcakes on a baking sheet to freeze until solid (about an hour or two) and then transfer to an airtight container to freeze in for up to 3 months. Thaw before eating.
- You can freeze the pumpkin spice cupcakes with cream cheese frosting but they will be harder to store and handle. I'd recommend frosting after the cupcakes have thawed for best results.
PATTI says
I'm going to try this.