Indulge in these moist, fluffy pumpkin cupcakes with a caramel cream cheese frosting—the ultimate fall treat! Each cupcake is filled with warm, cozy pumpkin spice flavors, and topped with a creamy, tangy caramel-infused frosting that has just the right hint of salted caramel.
Ingredients:
- Pumpkin Cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup vegetable or canola oil
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- ⅓ cup milk (2% preferred)
- Salted Caramel Sauce:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, in chunks
- ½ cup whipping cream
- ½ tsp sea salt
- Cream Cheese Caramel Frosting:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened but firm
- 4 oz full-fat cream cheese, softened but firm
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup salted caramel sauce (from above)
Instructions:
- Prepare the Pumpkin Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line muffin tins with baking papers (makes 14-16 cupcakes).
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk oil, white and brown sugars, and eggs until smooth. Mix in pumpkin puree.
- Alternate adding flour mixture and milk to the wet ingredients, stirring until smooth.
- Fill each cupcake liner ⅔-¾ full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
- Make the Salted Caramel Sauce:
- Prepare ingredients in advance.
- Heat sugar in a medium saucepan over medium, stirring until it melts and turns amber.
- Add butter, whisking continuously (be cautious as it bubbles).
- Reduce heat to low, whisk in cream, and stir until smooth. Remove from heat, add salt, and let cool.
- Prepare the Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Beat butter until smooth, add cream cheese, and mix just until combined.
- Beat in 1 cup powdered sugar and ½ cup cooled salted caramel sauce.
- Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar to reach desired sweetness. If needed, add 1 tbsp cream.
- Frost cooled cupcakes with a knife or piping bag (1M tip), and drizzle extra caramel if desired.