Pumpkin Cupcakes with Dreamy Cream Cheese Frosting

Moist, but dense, Pumpkin Cupcakes with Dreamy Cream Cheese Frosting have a flavor is reminiscent of pumpkin pie, mixed with notes of carrot cake too (no carrots though!). The frosting is creamy and, yes, totally dreamy. It has all the good parts of cream cheese, sweetened just right so that it counters the slightly sour note that it carries.

OMG, these are good. Just make them.

When I made these, it was Sunday morning. I woke up planning on pumpkin pancakes, but decided to eat some muffins instead. Since we needed some dessert to bring to Sunday dinner, these cupcakes ended up being our Sunday baking experiment du jour.

Of course, the kids got to help too. They take turns pouring things into the bowl and then Will gets to sift it with a wire whisk. It’s a great technique, and he’s really good at it. Paige was really into the whole process, alternating between cheering Will on (literally) and trying to climb onto the table.

They could barely wait to try these. And as soon as the first one was frosted, Will did (Paige was sleeping). He couldn’t say enough about how much he liked them …

Sigh. Make these. And with the leftover pumpkin puree, try Perfect Pumpkin Bread or Iced Pumpkin Bundt Cake.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Dreamy Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 18 cupcakes

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Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup pumpkin puree

Dreamy Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 cupcake cups with cupcake liners (I use a 6-cup cupcake/muffin tin and a 12-cup cupcake/muffin tin).
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and salt. Set aside.
3. In a stand mixer, beat together the eggs, brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract and pumpkin puree until smooth. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture a little at a time until fully incorporated.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake cups, filling them about 3/4 full.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
6. Once the cupcakes are cooled, make the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all ingredients and whip until combined and smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag and frost cupcakes (must be completely cooled).