Pumpkin Cupcakes

A perfect halved Pumpkin Cupcake reveals its light and fluffy interior.

5 from 4 votes

The Pumpkin Cupcakes are fluffy, moist eggless cupcakes loaded with pure pumpkin and cinnamon! Topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting with a mild tang, this pumpkin cupcakes recipe is the perfect blend of spice and sweetness! If that wasn't enough, these beauties are also gluten free, nut free and can easily be vegan!

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Assembly Time15

Total Time55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Servings: regular size cupcakes

Calories: 468kcal

Author: Lee

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

1 ¼ cups gluten free flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup pure pumpkin (I use Libby's brand)
¼ cup sour cream , full fat
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1.5 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

For the Frosting

5 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 pinches kosher salt

For the Cinnamon Sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 12 cup regular size cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
Once combined, whisk in the 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the ½ cup butter or vegan baking stick and the 1 cup granulated sugar until it is soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
Slowly beat the ¾ cup pure pumpkin into the creamed butter and sugar.
With the mixer still on low speed, mix in the ¼ cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and 1.5 teaspoons pure vanilla extract. The mixture will look chunky. That's normal.
Slowly mix in the gluten free flour mixture a little at a time until all combined.
Slowly pour the ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk into the batter while the mixture is on low speed. Mix until just combined.
Once it is combined, turn off the mixer and use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl. You don’t want to over mix this. Just make sure everything is fully combined. The batter will be thinner but still sticky.
Use an ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake tins ¾ way to the top. There should be enough batter for 16 cupcakes.
You do not want to overfill the cupcakes. This will result in them spilling out of the tops and not baking evenly inside.
Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes spring back at you when carefully touched or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let the cupcakes cool almost completely in the pan before trying to remove them. Bake the rest of the cupcakes. There should be 4 more.
In a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and the ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

In the large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the 1 cup butter or vegan baking stick and 8 ounces cream cheese until smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.
With the mixer on very low speed, slowly add in the 5 cups confectioners' sugar, 2 pinches of kosher salt and 4 teaspoons vanilla. Beat until combined.

Decorate the Cupcakes

If you have piping bags, pipe the cream cheese frosting on top of each cooled cupcake.
If you don’t have piping bags, put a thin layer of frosting on top of each cupcake.
If you frosted the cupcakes by hand, pop the cupcakes in the fridge for 15 minutes to let that thin layer harden.
This is your crumb layer so that when you frost the tops of the cupcakes, the crumbs don't get all over the frosting.
If you have a piping bag, you don’t need the crumb layer or this step.
Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar onto the frosted cupcakes before the frosting hardens.

Video

Notes

Vegan: Use a dairy free gluten free flour, vegan sugar, vegan baking sticks, non dairy milk, vegan sour cream and vegan cream cheese for the frosting.

All Purpose Flour: I cannot test this due to celiac disease, but use 1 ¼ cups packed AP flour (210 grams) and ½ cup milk.

Storing: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container or wrapped in foil in the fridge for up to 2 days, or in the freezer for 30 days. Let come to room temperature prior to eating.

Nutrition: The info below is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.

Nutrition