Pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and a hint of citrus
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The aroma of baked pumpkin transports me back to fond memories of walking into my grandmother’s kitchen on Thanksgiving day: pies, cookies, and cakes all made with this brightly-colored, cultivated winter squash. Pumpkin has a subtly sweet, earthy flavor with mild vegetal notes that are both comforting and versatile. Its natural sweetness is often compared to that of butternut squash, though it’s less intense. On its own, pumpkin is relatively neutral, which is why it pairs so beautifully with warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. When cooked or baked, pumpkin’s soft, velvety texture adds a creamy richness that enhances both savory and sweet dishes, making it a favorite in everything from soups to desserts. It’s the ideal backdrop for the cozy flavors of fall. Today, we won’t be in grandma’s kitchen; welcome to mine, alive with her spirit, teachings, and home-baked goodness. So, let’s bake some Simple Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and a Hint of Citrus!
Pumpkin’s role in American fall desserts is a tale as old as the harvest itself. Native to North America, pumpkins have been a part of the continent’s agricultural bounty for centuries, with indigenous peoples using them in a variety of savory and sweet dishes. Early colonists quickly adopted the versatile gourd, often baking it into pies as a hearty, seasonal filling. As the years passed, pumpkin became synonymous with autumn, symbolizing the bounty of the harvest season.
The true explosion of pumpkin in desserts, however, took off in the 20th century, particularly with the introduction of canned pumpkin in the 1920s. This innovation made the rich, earthy sweetness of pumpkin available year-round, but it became firmly associated with fall, as Thanksgiving traditions cemented the pumpkin pie as a holiday staple. In recent decades, pumpkin spice has gained iconic status, inspiring everything from lattes to cakes, cupcakes, and cookies, cementing its place as the quintessential flavor of autumn in America.
With that bit of interesting background, let’s get the ingredients together and start baking some pumpkin goodness! This is a simple recipe suitable for all home-bakers regardless of skill level. So get those cupcake tins out! It’s time to bake for tis’ the season!
If you adore moist cupcakes, you’re in for a real treat!
On Measuring Ingredients: My preferred method of measuring is weight by grams. Baking by volume rather than weight can lead to varied and unexpected results. Flour is especially problematic when measured by volume (sifted, not sifted, spooned, not spooned, fluffed or not … you get the point). Grams are always the same; they are your friend as a baker. King Arthur Baking Company’s Ingredients Weight Chart is helpful for converting recipe weights.
On Altitude Adjustments: Before measuring ingredients, preheating your oven, or setting your timer; it’s important to consider any necessary adjustments for baking at higher altitudes, which is generally considered to be 3,500ft and above. Most recipes are written for sea level up to 3,500ft. Take at look at our baking at High-Altitude Baking Adjustmentspage for guidance.
(Makes about 12 cupcakes)
Surprise ingredient: Orange zest. A fresh, zesty twist that brings a bright, unexpected contrast to the warm, spiced pumpkin. The citrus complements the earthiness of the pumpkin, elevating the flavor with a refreshing note that lingers subtly in each bite.
Cupcakes
Pumpkin cupcake batter ingredients
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
7 ½ ounces (213g) canned pumpkin puree (about 1 cup, not pumpkin pie filling)
¼ cup (50g) light or dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 cup + 1 tbsp (135g) all-purpose flour, fluffed, spooned, and leveled
¾ tsp (scant) baking soda
½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (or ¼ tsp table salt)
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger or finely grated candied ginger
¼ tsp ground cloves
⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream cheese frosting ingredients | Toppings not pictured
4 oz (113g) cream cheese, softened
4 oz (113g) unsalted butter, softened
2 ½ cups (285g) powdered sugar
1 tbsp (7g) meringue powder (optional, helps stabilize the frosting)
⅛ tsp coarse Kosher salt (or a pinch of table salt)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp (15-30ml) milk or cream, if needed
Optional: Cinnamon-sugar and freshly grated nutmeg, for sprinkling
1. Preheat the oven and prepare the pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. This batter comes together quickly, so preheat the oven before mixing it up.
2. Mix the cupcake batter: In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy—about 3 to 4 minutes on medium speed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Mix in the pumpkin puree, buttermilk/milk, vanilla extract, and orange/mandarin zest. The zest will bring a lovely, fragrant brightness to the batter! We used orange zest in this recipe.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until combined.
3. Fill and bake: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ full. Using a scoop will ensure that all cupcakes are the same size. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the center bounces back after a gentle tap or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
After 5 minutes cooling in the tin, gently remove the cupcakes and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
4. Make the cream cheese frosting: While the cupcakes cool, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, meringue powder, and salt, beating until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla bean paste or extract, and add milk or cream, if needed, to reach the desired consistency.
5. Frost and decorate: Once the cupcakes are fully cooled, pipe or spread the cream cheese frosting on top. Finish with a sprinkle of cinnamon-sugar and freshly grated nutmeg for that extra touch of warmth.
The zesty orange flavor will surprise your taste buds and provide a vibrant contrast to the cozy, spiced pumpkin base.
Equipment (Disclosure: Items below include affiliate links with Amazon USA. You pay the regular price, and I get a small commission.) I only recommend products that I own myself and know to be excellent quality. I often get asked on social media sites about my kitchen tools, so here are most of them used to make this recipe.
Mini cupcake pan (This mini size is perfect for large functions: yields 24 mini cupcakes.)
Kitchen scale (Ingredients should be weighed rather than relying on volume.)
Oven thermometer (All ovens need calibration, an in-oven thermometer is essential.)
Silicon oven mitts (I’ve burned my hands too many times with cloth mitts.)
Whisk(This is a standard for combining dry ingredients.)
Silicone spatula set(These are great for loading your piping bag with frosting and other tasks.)
Piping bags (I like the control that these medium-sized piping bags provide.)
Piping tip set (This is a nice set for many applications. We just cut the tips of our bag this time, but piping tips are recommended for more precision.)
What is meringue powder, and where do you buy it? More importantly, what is it called in Mexico, and where can it be sourced here?