These Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes are designed specifically to stay moist and hold their shape in mini form. This recipe skips the soggy texture many mini versions have, giving you bakery-quality cupcakes that are easy to make ahead and perfect for sharing at fall gatherings.
Note from Erin
I stumbled upon the idea for these cupcakes when my son put leftover cream cheese frosting on his mini pumpkin muffins one morning.
Of course, a great cupcake is more than just a frosted muffin, so I reworked the ratios, softening the crumb, lightening the texture, and balancing the sweetness so it felt like a true cupcake.
Now they're one of my favorites to take to fall potlucks and parties!
These mini cupcakes are also a great addition to a Thanksgiving dessert table when you want something festive that’s not pumpkin pie. They're easy to share, bite-sized, and travel beautifully.
Helpful Ingredient Tips
The recipe card at the bottom of this post includes the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
- Pumpkin Puree - This recipe only uses one cup of pumpkin. Freeze the leftovers in ½-cup portions so they're ready for your next batch of muffins, pancakes, or pumpkin bread
- Milk - I swapped the water from my muffin recipe for milk because it gives the cupcakes a richer, more cake-like crumb. It's subtle, but that bit of protein and natural sugar helps them brown beautifully and stay soft.
- Cream Cheese and Butter - I always let them sit out for at least an hour before making the frosting so that they whip up smoothly.
Tips to Make the Best Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes
Whisk the Dry Ingredients
- Whisk well (or sift) to evenly disperse the spices and leaveners so every cupcake bakes with consistent rise and flavor.
Blend the Wet Ingredients
- I prefer to use an electric mixer, but whisking by hand works too. Be sure to get the eggs nice and fluffy! Everything else can be whisked just until smooth.
Add the Flour
- Be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl so that everything gets mixed in well.
Bake and Cool
- Use a #40 medium cookie scoop to fill the mini cupcake liners in the pan ¾ full.
- Bake until the tops spring back lightly and look matte, not glossy - that's your cue they're perfectly done.
- Cool them on a rack so steam can escape. Letting them sit too long in the pan makes the bottoms soggy.
Top with Frosting
- Look for the frosting indentions to hold firm when you remove the beaters.
- If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar. Too thick, add a touch more milk.
Top Tip!
Completely cool the muffins before frosting them. If they are even a tiny bit warm the frosting will melt.
After frosting, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before packing or serving so that the frosting firms up. I recently brought these to an event in a Snapware cupcake carrier (cupcake insert removed), and they arrived in perfect condition, frosting and all.
Make it Spooky 👻
Have a little fun with decorations! Top each cupcake with a pumpkin candy corn for a simple seasonal touch, or add candy eyes to make sweet little “ghost” cupcakes for Halloween. They're playful and always a hit with kids.
Recipe
Soft & Spiced Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes
Recipe by:Ingredients
Pumpkin Muffins
- 2 cups (260 grams) all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110 grams) brown sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) oil
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (116 grams) pumpkin
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz (227 grams) cream cheese
- ½ cup (113 grams) butter
- 3 cups (360 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line your mini muffin pans with paper liners and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger, and clove until the spices are evenly distributed.2 cups all purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs for about 2 minutes, until they are pale and thickened. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and whisk until smooth.2 eggs, 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar
- Pour in the oil, milk, and pumpkin puree. Stir until the mixture is fully combined and no streaks remain. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.½ cup oil, ⅓ cup milk, 1 cup pumpkin, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold them together with a spatula. Stir just until the flour disappears into the batter. Overmixing at this stage can make the cupcakes dense.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each liner about three-quarters full.
- Bake the cupcakes for 12 to 15 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the pans from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- While the cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy.8 oz cream cheese, ½ cup butter
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed at first to avoid a sugar cloud, then increase to medium speed until the frosting is light and creamy. Stir in the vanilla extract.3 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a small round or star tip. Pipe a swirl of frosting onto each cooled cupcake.
- Store the cupcakes in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice before serving, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional facts provided are only estimates. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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