Aside from the brisk fall mornings and glorious golden trees all over town, I know it’s officially pumpkin season when I start putting a pinch of pumpkin spice in my coffee. The kids have made jack-o’-lanterns and are counting the days down until Halloween. There is no better time to make these Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes frosted with a light and airy whipped cream, and cream cheese frosting. They make great gifts for neighbors and friends and turn any day into a celebration of fall.
In the photo here I garnished them with some gold sugar I had in my baking bin and thin slices of candied ginger. But honestly, the kids prefer them sans toppings and they are so delightful on their own, a garnish is for a visual pop more than anything. You could garnish with candied nuts, candied orange, and sugar in the raw or freshly grated nutmeg.
Alternative Bakes
This is also my go-to base for a pumpkin bundt cake or a layered pumpkin cake. With a bundt cake, I skip the frosting and make a maple glaze.
Whipping Up the Perfect Frosting
When making the frosting, keep in mind that this is essentially whipped cream blended with cream cheese, so it will have the temperament of a whipped cream, only slightly more stable. This means, keeping a close eye when whipping the cold cream into the cream cheese is important so that it doesn’t break from too much whipping, along with not wanting weeping frosting that is not whipped enough.
PrintPumpkin Spice Cupcakes
There is no better time to make these Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes frosted with a light and airy whipped cream, and cream cheese frosting. They make great gifts for neighbors and friends and turn any day into a celebration of fall.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 24 cupcakes
- Category: Dessert, Fall, Thanksgiving
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
for the cupcakes:
- 3 c. (360 g.) all-purpose flour
- 1 t. baking soda
- 1 1/2 t. baking powder
- 1 T. pumpkin spice
- 1/2 t. kosher salt
- 1 1/2 c. brown sugar
- 1/2 c. olive oil
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 c. sour cream
- 1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin puree
for the frosting:
- 1 c. (8-ounce brick) full-fat cream cheese, cold
- 1 c. powdered sugar
- 1 t. vanilla extract
- 1 c. heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, cold
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin spice, and salt.
In a separate bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, add the brown sugar, olive oil, and eggs. Whisk over medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, around five minutes.
Turn off the mixer and add the sour cream and pumpkin puree. Whisk again for a couple of minutes. Turn off the mixer again and add the flour mixture. Turn on the mixture for just another minute or so, until everything comes together and the batter is smooth. Spoon batter into cupcake liners and bake 10-12 minutes for mini cupcakes and 15-20 minutes for standard-sized cupcakes. You’ll know the cupcakes are done when you insert a paring knife into the center and it comes out clean.
The secret to a better whip
Wash, dry and chill your mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 30 minutes to help this whipped cream frosting whip up better.
Frosting Your Cupcakes
To make the frosting, place the cream cheese into the cold mixing bowl and whisk on medium speed until smooth. Turn off the mixer and add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and slowly pour in the cold heavy cream. If you need to, stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Whip the frosting until it thickens and whips up like thick whipped cream. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag or a bowl.
Let the cupcakes cool completely at room temperature before frosting.
