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Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

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These chocolate pumpkin cupcakes are so moist and so soft. They are frosted with fluffy cream cheese frosting. These irresistible spiced pumpkin cupcakes are perfect for fall baking.  

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate pumpkin cupcakes

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Cream cheese frosting

  • 12 oz. cream cheese frosting, room temperature
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup powdered sugar * 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

Chocolate pumpkin cupcakes

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 12 cupcake tins. Set aside. 
  2. In a medium bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl whisk eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil and pumpkin puree. Whisk until combined.
  4. Add the flour mixture and whisk until combined. 
  5. Take about 3/4 -1 cup of pumpkin batter out. Place in a separate small bowl. To that pumpkin cupcake batter add 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder. This will be the pumpkin chocolate batter.
  6. Add about 1 tablespoon of pumpkin batter to one of the cupcake tins. Then add 1/2 tablespoon of pumpkin chocolate batter. Add another 1/2 tablespoon of pumpkin batter. Then 1/2 tablespoon of chocolate batter. (The cupcakes tins should be about halfway full) Swirl with a toothpick. Repeat process on all cupcakes or until batter is gone. 
  7. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
  8. Cool completely before frosting. 

Frosting

  1. Beat cream cheese,  powdered sugar, vanilla extract and ground cinnamon until combined. 
  2. Add softened butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition. 
  3. Beat for 3-5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
  4. Once cupcakes are cooled. Frost cupcakes. 

Notes

  • *The cream cheese frosting is slightly on the tangy side. If you want the cream cheese frosting to be sweeter add more powdered sugar. Add up to 1 – 1 1/2 cups more powdered sugar.
  • Feel free to use pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon and nutmeg.
  • Be sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie puree. Pumpkin pie puree already has additional spices and sugar added. This will alter the recipe. 

Find it online: https://tastytreatpantry.com/chocolate-pumpkin-cupcakes/