With a simple stir-together method, these easy Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are a perfect fall dessert to share with the kids! They have less sugar than similar cupcakes yet deliver big time on both texture and flavor.
Pumpkin Cupcakes
When celebrating holidays and autumn with kids, I naturally turn to fall flavors—and it seemed like a good time to share this super simple recipe.
With classic cream cheese frosting and pumpkin spice flavor, these little beauties are fun to make with the kids (or on your own) and are perfectly pint-sized.
(We love these as muffins, too, so feel free to make them without the frosting!)
We love to have these around Thanksgiving, but they are also a really yummy kids’ birthday cupcake or school party addition.
The small size makes them perfect for sharing since one easy batch makes a full 24 cupcakes.
Ingredients You Need
To make this dessert, you’ll need basic pantry staples including:
- All-purpose flour: This helps them to stay light and fluffy.
- Sugar: I used just enough sugar to add sweetness. Sugar helps the cupcakes be very moist.
- Baking powder and baking soda to help the cupcakes rise.
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Pumpkin puree: Look for unsweetened pumpkin puree, not pie filling. You can use canned or homemade pumpkin puree.
- Vegetable oil: Or you can use melted butter.
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
Ingredient Substitutions
- You can make these with purchased canned pumpkin puree or homemade pumpkin puree—totally up to you!
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 style of gluten-free flour mix.
- Egg-free: Omit the egg and add ¼ cup milk. Continue with the recipe.
- You can also use melted and slightly cooled butter in place of the vegetable oil.
Step-by-Step Instructions
To make these cupcakes, here’s a look at the basic steps Scroll down for the full information.
- Stir together the wet ingredients in a large bowl. Gently stir in the dry ingredients.
- Add to a mini muffin pan lined with paper liners.
- Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool, then make and top with frosting.
TIP: Always start any baking recipe by preheating the oven so it’s at the right temp when you’re ready to put the cupcakes into the oven.
Easy Cream Cheese Frosting
I love pumpkin baked goods with cream cheese frosting and the one here is so easy. All you need is:
- cream cheese (I like full fat)
- maple syrup
- vanilla extract
TIP: You’ll need to let the cream cheese soften at room temperature, but after that it comes together with a whisk! Sprinkles are a fun topping, too.
Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time?
Yes! These work great to make the day before you want to serve them if that’s easier for you. Store unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature and they’ll be pretty much the same as right after baking. I prefer to frost soon before serving.
Can I make them with less sugar?
You can take the sugar down to ⅓ cup, but I wouldn’t go lower than that since the texture and flavor will be impacted.
What kind of pumpkin is best in this recipe?
Traditional canned pumpkin puree – the plain kind that’s just pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling (which is sweetened) – is what I use.
How to Store
The cupcakes can be made 24 hours before you plan to frost them. Let cool completely on a wire rack, then store unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature.
Store frosted leftovers in the fridge once frosted for up to 3 days in an airtight container. They taste remarkably the same even after being stored.
Best Tips for Success
- Gluten-free: Use cup-for-cup gluten-free flour.
- Egg-free: Omit the egg and add ¼ cup milk.
- Skip the frosting and serve these as muffins!
- Use whole wheat pastry flour instead of all-purpose if you prefer. (They will be a little denser.)
- Add sprinkles if desired.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear from you if you try these cupcakes with your kids, so please comment below and rate the recipe to share what you thought!
Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cupcakes
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg (lightly beaten)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese (soften at room temperature for at least an hour—it should be soft when you poke it with your finger)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 24-cup nonstick muffin tin with nonstick spray or line with paper mini cupcake liners.
- Stir together the pumpkin puree, oil, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl.
- Stir in the flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Portion into the prepared muffin tin using about 1 tablespoon per cup. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting and serve.
To make the frosting:
- Add softened cream cheese to a medium bowl with the maple syrup and vanilla extract. Mix together with a whisk until fluffy. (If this is hard to do due to the temperature of your cream cheese, you can use an electric handheld mixer.)
- Spread onto the cupcakes or add to a zip-top plastic bag. Seal and cut one corner off. Pipe onto the cupcakes.
- Add sprinkles if desired.
Equipment
Notes
- The cupcakes can be made 24 hours before you plan to frost them. Let cool completely on a wire rack then store in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Store frosted leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Gluten-free: Use cup-for-cup gluten-free flour.
- Egg-free: Increase the baking soda to 1 teaspoon, omit the egg, and add 2 tablespoons milk.
- Full-size cupcakes: Make 12 muffins, with each cup about ½ full, and bake for 18-20 minutes.
- Skip the frosting and serve these as muffins!
- Use whole wheat pastry flour instead of all-purpose if you prefer. (They will be a little denser.)
- Use mini cupcake liners or coat the muffin pan with nonstick spray.
Nutrition
This post was first published October 2020.
Hi Amy. How long do I bake this for in an 8″ square pan?
Hi- I haven’t made this recipe that way but I would guess 18-22 minutes.
Can these be frozen after baked and frosted?
Yes, they should be fine if you freeze them.
The cupcakes are so tasty! For the icing, I had to add more sugar because it just tasted like a block of cream cheese, but sometimes I think my taste buds are broken. Haha Thanks so much for the recipe. It was easy and yummy.
Can you make these in a regular muffin tin instead of a mini one? Thanks!
Yes, baking time will be in the 16-18 minute range.
How much pumpkin?
The amounts are all in the full recipe at the bottom of the post.
Just made these with my 2 year old daughter In order to distract myself from the election anxiety and was pleasantly surprised how delicious these are! 1/2 dozen already devoured before we’re able to frost them.
I used 1/3 cup sugar .
Many thanks!
I’m so glad!
If I wanted to make this a cake, would the bake time be about the same?
It would depend on the size. What size did you have in mind?
For Baby’s first bday – 6 inch cake!
If you use this batter to make two 6-inch cakes, bake for 18-20 minutes. (There’s a sweet potato cake version here that is basically the same!)
I made these today with the only difference being that i used avacado oil instead of vegetable oil because it’s what i had.
There are delicious!!! Even without the icing! My 2 year old son ate 3 and so did my husband (who is even pickier than our son!!)
Another great recipe! Thank you!
Aloha Amy! These were delicious. My 2 year old loved it even without the frosting. It was even better with frosting afterwards. This is definitely a keeper. I have no baking background so this was easy to make. Thank you so much!
I am so glad to hear that!
These are delicious! Any recommendations for freezing or fridge storage?
Yay! Store leftovers in the fridge once frosted for up to 3 days in an airtight container. They taste remarkably the same even after being stored. To freeze unfrosted cupcakes, place (once cooled) into a zip top freezer bag and remove as much air as possible and seal. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or overnight in the fridge and frost.
Delicious muffins, thanks for the recipe! greetings from Romania