Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

pumpkin spice cupcakes with pumpkin mousse frosting

(5 ratings)
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Organic Andrea
Orlando, FL

I put pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg in anything and everything in the fall. Fall, with all of the flavors and aromas that go with it, is my favorite season of the year! I invented these in the kitchen the other day and they were a big hit with everyone who ate them, from elementary school kids to grandparents.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Andrea is a true cupcake queen! Sweet, delicate, and super moist, these cupcakes have a perfectly subtle pumpkin flavor that is wonderfully offset by the light and airy icing. You would never guess they started with a box of cake mix. They taste like fall.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(5 ratings)
yield 24 -36
prep time 30 Min
cook time 20 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For pumpkin spice cupcakes with pumpkin mousse frosting

  • CUPCAKES
  • 1 box
    Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
  • 3 oz
    canned solid pack pumpkin
  • 1 c
    water
  • 3 lg
    eggs
  • 1/4 tsp
    ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp
    ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp
    ground nutmeg
  • FROSTING
  • 4 oz
    butter
  • 4 oz
    canned solid pack pumpkin
  • 1 tsp
    vanilla extract
  • 2 Tbsp
    whole milk
  • 24 - 32 oz
    powdered sugar
  • 1/4 tsp
    ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp
    ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp
    ground nutmeg

How To Make pumpkin spice cupcakes with pumpkin mousse frosting

  • Lining a cupcake tin while preheating the oven.
    1
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line muffin pans with cupcake papers.
  • Cake mix, pumpkin, water, eggs, and spices in a bowl.
    2
    To a large mixing bowl, add cake mix, 3 oz. of pumpkin, water, eggs, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, and 1/8 tsp nutmeg. Beat at the low speed of the electric mixer for 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and beat for two minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Batter poured into cupcake pan and cupcakes baking.
    3
    Fill cupcake papers 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake in preheated oven until the cupcakes test is done by springing back when touched lightly with a fingertip in the center. Remove to racks to cool.
  • Stand mixer to make the frosting.
    4
    While cupcakes cool, make the frosting. To achieve the best and lightest frosting, you're going to need to beat it for a long period of time. This is best done with an electric stand mixer so you can do other things while your frosting continues to beat.
  • Pumpkin and soften butter whipped together.
    5
    For the frosting: Use the paddle attachment for your mixer. To the mixing bowl, add the softened butter and 4 oz. of pumpkin and beat until well combined.
  • Spices added to the bowl.
    6
    Next, add 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, and 1/8 tsp nutmeg and beat until combined.
  • Powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk whipped into butter.
    7
    Next, add 24 oz of powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk. Beat on low until combined. Once there is no risk of dry powdered sugar flying out of the bowl, increase speed to medium or medium-high and beat for at least 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle and continue to beat for 10 minutes. Check to see if you like the consistency of the frosting or if you need to add more powdered sugar. Add more if you need it. There is no hard and fast rule here. If you are satisfied with the frosting at this stage, then use it. I personally beat my frosting for at least 30 minutes. In that 30 minutes, I check the frosting and scrape the bowl and paddle about 3 times. I like my frosting to be lighter, and the extra time beating it helps to achieve this lightness.
  • Piping the pumpkin frosting on the cooled cupcakes.
    8
    Put the frosting on your cooled cupcakes. I use a 1M star tip with a pastry bag to get that bakery look. But if you prefer to use a butter knife or offset spatula, go for it! They still taste just as yummy! If you would like, you can add a festive touch by topping the cupcake with a piece of candy corn or holiday sprinkles. Eat, share, and enjoy!!
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