Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
**For the Cupcakes**
- 1 ¼ cups cake flour spooned and leveled
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground pumpkin pie spice
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup buttermilk
**For the Cream Cheese Frosting**
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 6 ounces cream cheese cold
- 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 1-1 ½ teaspoons ground pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
**For the Cupcakes**
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cupcake pan with liners.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
- Mix in the canned pumpkin puree on low speed. Set aside.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the wet ingredients, mixing until combined.
- Fill each cupcake liner ¾ full using a large cookie scoop.
- Bake for 17-19 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
**For the Cream Cheese Frosting**
- While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting. Beat the softened butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add the cold cream cheese and mix on medium speed until combined.
- Gradually sift in the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until fully combined.
- Mix in the pumpkin pie spice on high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Start with 1 teaspoon and add more to taste.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip (like the Wilton 1M).
**Frosting the Cupcakes**
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, pipe a generous amount of frosting onto each one.
- Serve and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Notes
- Use cake flour for the best cupcake texture.
- Be sure to use canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.