Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cupcakes are the perfect treat for fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving and the holiday season!
Pumpkin Cupcakes
Pumpkin Cupcakes filled with cinnamon cream cheese are so moist and flavorful that there is no need for frosting. They are so quick and easy to make from scratch.
Looking at the photos, these cupcakes might look more like muffins since they are not frosted. Personally, I do not think cupcakes require frosting. Plus, my daughter does not like frosting anyway. So, I just lightly sprinkle my cupcakes with a little powdered sugar. Less messy, fewer calories!
These cupcakes can easily be “tweaked” to your own personal preferences. The cream cheese filling is great, but you can also omit the filling and just have some wonderfully yummy pumpkin cupcakes. Omitting the cream cheese filling makes this recipe super quick and easy and will make the cupcakes a bit healthier. You can also just spread the cream cheese mixture on top, as a cream cheese frosting, if you would prefer.
I hope that you enjoy the pumpkin cupcakes! Happy baking!
More Pumpkin Recipes
- Golden Pumpkin Hummus
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Fettucine Alfredo
- Pumpkin Pie Fudge
- Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Note: The printable recipe is located at the end of this post. Please visit The Scoop for my latest posts or you can search or browse my Recipe Index.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cupcake Ingredients
Pumpkin Cupcake Batter
- Pumpkin Puree – I used Organic Pumpkin Puree (100% pure pumpkin, not pie filling)
- All Purpose Flour – I used Organic Whole Wheat Flour
- Eggs – I use Extra Large Organic Cage-Free Eggs
- Sugar – I used Organic Cane Sugar
- Light Brown Sugar
- Unsweetened Apple Sauce – I used Organic Unsweetened Apple Sauce
- Vegetable Oil
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt – I used kosher salt
- Cinnamon – I used Organic Saigon Cinnamon
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Pure Vanilla Extract
Cream Cheese Filling / Frosting
- cream cheese – softened
- brown sugar
- pure vanilla extract
- cinnamon
- pumpkin spice – optional but adds more flavor.
Optional: Powdered Sugar to sprinkle on top.
How to make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cupcakes
First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, add muffin cups to a muffin pan and lightly spray the insides of the muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray.
Pumpkin Cupcake Batter
In a large mixing bowl, mix the pumpkin, both kinds of sugar, applesauce, oil, vanilla, and eggs. Mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Now, add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix well to combine all ingredients and form the batter.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Filling or Frosting
In a small mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla together. Whisk until smooth.
Make and Bake
First, fill the muffin cups about 1/3 full. Next, add about a tablespoon of cream cheese filling to each cupcake and then cover with remaining batter. This recipe will make 24 cupcakes.
Place the cupcakes into the preheated oven and bake them at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20-25 minutes. If you are unsure, try the toothpick test.
Carefully remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar if you would like to “dress them up” or frost them with cinnamon cream cheese. Serve and enjoy!
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter:
- 1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened.
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice optional but adds more flavor.
Optional:
- Powdered Sugar
Instructions
Prep:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add muffin cups to muffin pan and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Cupcake Batter:
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the pumpkin, both kinds of sugar, applesauce, oil, vanilla and eggs. Mix well.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix well to combine all ingredients and form batter.
Cream Cheese Filling:
- In a mixing bowl, whisk or whip the cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin spice, cinnamon and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
Make & Bake:
- First, fill the muffin cups about 1/3 full. Next, add about a tablespoon of cream cheese filling to each cupcake and then cover with remaining batter.
- Bake cupcakes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20-25 minutes.
- Carefully remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar if you like.
Notes
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Fall Flavors
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- Fall Pasta Salad
- Pumpkin Fettuccine Alfredo
- Cinnamon Honey Nut Granola
- Pumpkin Hummus
- Healthy Oatmeal Muffins
- Pumpkin Bread
- Creamy Mushroom Pasta
- Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
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- Turkey Sausage Gravy
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- Walnut Crusted Pork Chops
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- Turkey Chili
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