A Little Guide to Making Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Cupcakes
This pumpkin cupcakes recipe comes from an old-fashioned pumpkin cake recipe modified slightly to make them into cupcakes! Just like the original, these pumpkin cupcakes are hearty and somewhat dense in texture but also moist and fluffy at the same time. It has just the right amount of sugar and spices to compliment the pumpkin flavor instead of overwhelming it. Instead of oil, we use butter as it really brings out the nuttiness of the pumpkin. The pumpkin cake is then topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting to give just the right amount of bite and sweetness to marry the flavor of the spiced pumpkin cake perfectly. And this is an easy cake to make!
A word about this pumpkin cake recipe and other cakes made with fruits and vegetables. They rely on the addition of pumpkin, bananas, apples or carrots to bring both sweetness and texture to the cake. Since harvests vary from year to year, the cake would be sweeter sometimes more than others. The experienced gardener would know when to pick her pumpkin to bake that perfect pumpkin square dessert or this delicious cake. However, today we often rely on canned goods for convenience and lack of gardening space. For that reason, the pumpkin is generally more consistent year to year. If you are really into sugar, you could up the brown sugar to a full cup, however, it will begin to hide the flavors of the spices and pumpkin itself. So we recommend you enjoy the nuisance of the yesteryears and really begin to appreciate how they frugally cut corners.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Below, you will see how easy it is to make this pumpkin cupcakes recipe. Let’s get baking!
Step 1: Prepare your Pan & Heat up that Oven!
First, prepare your pan. You want to generously grease and flour your muffin pan if it is non-stick or line each individual tin with a cupcake liner. You can also use baking spray. But we always recommend cupcake liners for easier cleanup and sharing. At this time, you’ll want to preheat your oven if you haven’t already done so. For this recipe, we recommend 325°F or 160°C for the optimal baking temperature.
Step 2: Combine Your Wet Ingredients
Before beginning, bring everything to room temperature or just under for best results. Failure to do so can lead to lumps in your batter and subsequently, your cupcakes. In a large bowl, we want to combine our pumpkin, eggs, sugar, oil, milk and vanilla. Add the ingredients one at a time and stir well between each addition. Say hello to our old boy, Raymond!
Step 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients
The next step is to mix together the flour, spices, baking powder and salt. You’ll need a medium bowl for this step.
For a more tender and airy crumb, we recommend sifting the dry ingredients together. If you don’t have a sifter, use a whisk or a fork and mix well. It will still be wonderful!
Step 4: Fold the Dry into the Wet Ingredients
Next, we need to gently mix all the ingredients together and avoid over-mixing so that the cupcakes will not become bread like. Like my photoshop skills? Yes, they are awful. One day, I’ll hire a production crew when I’m rich and famous. Until then, you get to see Raymond again!
Step 5: Prepare your Cupcakes for the Oven
In each tin, evenly distribute the batter, filling each section no more than 2/3rds full, using about 3 generous tablespoons in each liner. Don’t worry if they are slightly uneven. This is the charm of baking. Say hello to Roxanne this time. She’s ready for her naptime.
Step 6: Bake and Cool the Cupcakes
Bake until top springs back and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not overbake. Cracks are normal in this recipe and they will be domed cupcakes much like muffins. More to eat!
Let the cupcakes cool 5 – 10 minutes in the pan and then carefully move to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Step 7: Make the Frosting
While the cupcakes are cooling, bring the cream cheese and butter to just under room temperature or until it is softened. This can take an hour or so on cool days.
Beat the butter until smooth, then add the cream cheese. Continue to beat this mixture until well blended. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar a spoonful at a time on a low speed at a time until smooth. You want to beat it until it’s very light. Here’s Raymond yet again! One day, I will get better at taking photos instead of trying to splice two together. Let’s move on.
Generously spread a layer of the cream cheese frosting on each cupcake.
Seriously, I have to laugh at my photography skills. Otherwise, I’d cry.
Since the frosting is made with cream cheese, store any leftovers in the fridge within an hour of serving. But will there be leftovers?
Substitutions and Tips
Here are some common substitutions and tips for this pumpkin cupcakes recipe.
- Margarine or vegetable spread can be used in place of the butter. Make sure the vegetable oil spread has at least 50% fat for best results.
- Allspice can be replaced with 1/8 teaspoon (.25g) of nutmeg and cloves.
- You can use pumpkin pie spice in place of all the spices. Use 1 1/2 teaspoons or 3 grams.
- You can omit the ginger and allspice if you don’t have any. It will change the flavor slightly, but it will still be a great cupcake! Cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice is necessary.
- You do not have to use cream cheese. Replace the cream cheese with 1/4 cup (56g) of softened butter.
Storage
When it comes to cupcakes, they are always best eaten the day you make them. However, the cupcakes will keep 3-5 days nicely. Store covered in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge. Due to the cream cheese frosting, this pumpkin cake must stay chilled. Bring the cupcakes to room temperature about 30 minutes before serving or eat them cold.
We do not recommend freezing these cupcake. Pumpkin desserts tend to lose their flavor when frozen more than a few days. However, if you insist on freezing for long term storage, wrap the cake tightly with plastic wrap and store up to 3 months unfrosted for best results. Thaw the cupcakes overnight in the fridge and make the frosting the day you want to serve them. The frosting will not freeze well and will separate as it thaws. It’s quite disappointing if you attempt it.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for visiting and happy baking!
Pumpkin Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cups (187.5g) flour
- ¾ cup (183g) puréed pumpkin
- 2 large (100g) eggs
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (80mL) oil
- ¼ cup (60mL) milk
- ¼ cup (56g) brown sugar
- 1 ½ tsp (6g) baking powder
- 1 tsp (5mL) vanilla
- ½ tsp (2.5g) salt
- 1 tsp (2g) cinnamon
- ½ tsp (1g) ground ginger
- ¼ tsp (.5g) allspice
For the Frosting
- 1 pkg (226g) softened cream cheese
- 1 cup (125g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (56g) softened butter or margarine
- ½ tsp (2.5mL) vanilla
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 325F (160C.)
- Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners or grease with a small amount of butter.
- Combine flour, baking powder, salt and spices in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In large bowl, beat together sugar and oil. Add in the eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add pumpkin and flour mixture, beating just until blended, about 1 minute. Pour and level into prepared pan.
- Bake 16-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Internal temperature should read between 200°F (93°C) and 210°F (99°C.)
- Cool in pan 5 – 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to finish cooling before frosting.
For the Frosting
- Beat butter until smooth. Add cream cheese and continue to beat until creamy.
- Add vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time, beating on a low speed until frosting is smooth.
- Spread frosting generously over each cupcake. Because of the cream cheese icing, leftovers must be stored in fridge and brought to room temperature before serving.
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