Moist pumpkin cupcakes studded with toasted pecans and topped with a sweet and creamy Maple Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting!
Back to my kitchen! Back to Fall baking!! Squee!!
Who’s tired of pumpkin? Bloggers keep asking that. I could never get tired of pumpkin! I wait all year to bake anything and everything with pumpkin. I would go so far as to say that I hoard pumpkin just in case there is a shortage like several years ago.
Do you remember that? Little pumpkin lovin’ hearts were breaking all over the USofA. Sadness.
So in light of a possible shortage, I say bake away!
The smell of warm cinnamon spiced pumpkin baking in the kitchen is my happy place.
Come to think of it, pretty much all cupcakes are my happy place.
Today I bring you my happy place!
This soft pumpkin cake is generously spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, mace and cloves! Don’t forget the mace! It’s my secret ingredient that I shared in my post about Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies and Healthier Pumpkin Banana Bread!
If you love maple half as much as I do, you will swoon over this Maple Caramel Cream Cheese frosting. It is the stuff of legends.
A silky, decadent maple cream cheese frosting made with my salted Maple Caramel Sauce. A little tang of the cream cheese mixed with a sweet maple caramel is the perfect topping for the spiced pumpkin cupcakes! A little crunch from the toasted pecans and you have yourself an awesome Fall cupcake!
Fall cupcakes don’t get much better or easier than these! Pure pumpkin maple bliss.
Toasted Pecan Pumpkin Cupcakes Maple Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon (slightly rounded)
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon mace
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup light brown sugar (packed)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter (melted*)
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
- ⅔ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup chopped (toasted pecans**)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 ounces cold cream cheese (no whipped, no low-fat, high-quality preferred)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (cold but still firm)
- pinch kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- ⅓ cup Maple Caramel Sauce
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350° and line 14 standard muffin tins with cupcake liners. I use two standard paper liners per cupcake.
- In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and all spices; set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat sugars and melted butter together with a hand mixer until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the vanilla after the last egg.
- Add the pumpkin and mix on medium until smooth and creamy, about 30 seconds.
- Alternately add flour and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. I add a third of the flour then half of the buttermilk and repeat. Fold the last flour addition in by hand to avoid over mixing. Fold in pecans.
- Scoop into prepared tins, filling almost to the top of the cup. Add some crumble to the top of each cupcake. Bake in preheated oven 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few clinging crumbs. Mine took 18 minutes.
- Remove immediately from muffin tins to cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the Frosting:
- Using a handmixer, beat cream cheese, butter, salt and cinnamon on medium speed until smooth and creamy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing until smooth and creamy. Slowly pour the caramel into the frosting in gradual increments until the frosting is a spreadable consistency and achieves the maple flavor you desire. My maple caramel was a bit runny so I added full amount but then added some more powdered sugar to thicken it back up. You can adjust to your liking.
- The frosting will keep best in the refrigerator but it will also keep for several days at room temperature.
Assemble the Cupcakes:
- Once cupcakes are cool, frost with your favorite piping tip!
Notes
More Cupcakes! Never enough #amiright?
Pumpkin Pecan Pie Cupcakes Maple Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting
Peach Crisp Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Swiss Meringue Buttercream!
Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Cherry Mascarpone Frosting
Copycat Sprinkles Triple Cinnamon Cupcakes
Copycat Sprinkles Vanilla Cupcakes
Peanut Butter Stuffed Double Chocolate Banana Cupcakes!
This recipe is linked to: Inspiration Monday, Merry Monday, Munching Monday, Monday Funday, Two Cup Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Party Time, Moonlight & Mason Jars, Gluten Free Wednesday, What’s Cookin’ Wednesday, Gluten Free Friday, Foodie Friday, Food on Friday, Flashback Friday, Saturday Night Fever, Sweet and Savoury Sundays
Laura@Baking in Pyjamas says
These so yummy, I love all the spices you've used. Perfect autumn treat. Thanks for linking up to Sweet and Savoury Sunday, stop by and link up again. Have a great day!!
Lindsey says
Thanks, Laura!
Kim @ The Baking ChocolaTess says
I'm still good with pumpkin and these cupcakes look absolutely gorgeous! Stopped by from Munching Mondays Party!
Lindsey says
Thanks for stopping by Kim! I'd eat pumpkin all year round if it were socially acceptable!
Cathy says
This is one of the BEST cupcake posts I have ever seen, EVER! Everyone looks so good, I want to lick the frosting 🙂
Love the toasted pecans and cream cheese frosting is a fave of mine! Saying hello from savory Sundays!
Cathy
Lindsey says
HUGE Compliment! Thanks so much, Cathy!
Erlene says
My goodness I feel like I need to pin and make all of your cupcakes. I even jumped over and pinned your maple carmel syrup...lol. Thanks for sharing all of your recipes on the Merry Monday Link Party. I hope you can join us again and also link up to the Ultimate Cookie & Goodies Party too!
Lindsey says
Thanks for all the pins, Erlene! I hope you make some cupcakes soon!
Claudia @Breakfast Drama Queen says
Ohmigosh!!! These look unbelievably amazing! I'm loving everything about these cupcakes - the inside looks perfect, the outside looks perfect... I'm just feeling really excited about cupcakes right now 😉
Lindsey says
Thanks, Claudia! I hope you make them!
Kelly says
Your cupcakes are beautiful! Pinning this to make soon!
Lindsey says
Thanks, Kelly! And thanks for the pin 🙂
Jessica @ Sweet Menu says
Your cupcakes are AMAZING! Just love the sound of maple caramel cream cheese - I'll just take the bowl of that! 😉
Lindsey says
Thanks, Jessica! I could eat a bowl of it too!
Julia @ Sprinkled With Jules says
These sound delicious! I love the sound of maple cream cheese frosting, I've gotta try it! Beautiful photos!
Lindsey says
Thank you, Julia!
Steph @Table For One says
I don't think I could ever be tired of pumpkin, especially when it includes caramel and maple! These cupcakes look amazing; I'm drowning in a pool of my own drool as I type!
Lindsey says
Thanks, Steph!
Annie+@+ciaochowbambina says
Caramel cream cheese frosting?! Oh boy...it doesn't get much better than this!
Lindsey says
True that!
Jess @ whatjessicabakednext says
Ok, I'm absolutely loving all your cupcake recipes! They're all so amazing, Lindsay! Love the toasted pecan pumpkin flavour with the maple caramel cream cheese icing sounds just incredible!
Lindsey says
Thanks, Jess! I can't help but get carried away with cupcakes!
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
You are the cupcake queen! I can't get over how many amazing ideas for cupcakes you have. That frosting sounds truly wonderful! Have a great weekend!
Lindsey says
Thanks, Christin! I dream of cupcakes. It's bad. Have an amazing weekend yourself!
David @ Spiced says
Did you just squeee? Haha! Well, it's totally acceptable to squeee at these delicious cupcakes. You seriously know how to rock a cupcake. Where to begin?? The pumpkin? The toasted pecans? And the maple caramel cream cheese frosting? I mean that should be illegal in 17 states because it's just too delicious! Nice work, cupcake queen, nice work!
Lindsey says
Lol I totally did. I almost took it out because then everyone would have confirmation that I am a complete loser. Confirmed. I thought these were totally squee worthy! Thanks, David! The crown stays for another day!
Denise says
Fabulous collection of cupcake recipes - Thank you so much!!!!
Lindsey says
Thanks, Denise! You are welcome. Enjoy!
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
Each time you post a cupcake recipe, I literally have to clean my keyboard after from all the drool! These look gorgeous girl, I love those toasted pecans peaking out and that fluffy and pillowy frosting looks to die for!! I can never have too much pumpkin for me, especially in cupcake form 🙂
Kathleen @ Yummy Crumble says
So pretty! I bet your house smelled like pumpkin heaven. It's the best smell ever 🙂
Lindsey says
Best. Smell. Ever. You get me, Kathleen.
Renee @ Two in the Kitchen says
Holy cry girl. I am in a sugar coma just scrolling through all those amazing cupcakes you have on this post alone. These pumpkin cupcakes are amazing!!! Tired of pumpkin???? No way!! Keep the pumpkin coming!! 🙂
Lindsey says
Haha! I agree...bring on the pumpkin!!!
Ella-HomeCookingAdventure says
All your cupcakes look wonderful.. I really love pumpkin too.. never can get tired of it:)
Lindsey says
Thanks, Ella! Me neither. Long live pumpkin!
Manali @ CookWithManali says
Your cupcakes always look amazing Lindsey and this one is no exception! Pinned 🙂
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
I could eat pumpkin year round and never get sick of it! These cupcakes look crazy good, Lindsey! I love the pecans in here, and that frosting looks incredible. Pinned!
marcie says
I'm not tired of pumpkin -- I haven't even had pumpkin pie yet! I could look past the pie with these in front of me...they look divine! Pinning. 🙂
Lindsey says
You haven't even had pumpkin yet?!?! What are you waiting for! Thanks for the pin!
Ilona @ Ilona's Passion says
Wow, these cupcakes are so delicious, I could eat them right now:)
Lindsey says
Thanks, Ilona!
Shashi @ runninsrilankan says
Holy moly WoW! Mace, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in these beauts - not only do these look fabulous but I bet they smelt wonderful! Yes - these would take me to MY happy place!
Lindsey says
They smelled amazing! Thanks, Shashi!
Lea says
There is an error in the recipe. The cupcakes call for ¼ teaspoon pumpkin puree. I haven't tried the recipe, but I can't imagine you meant ¼ teaspoon.
Lindsey says
Thank you, Lea! I definitely didn't mean 1/4 teaspoon. t don't even know what I was thinking. It should be 1/2 cup. I have updated the recipe. Thanks again for pointing that out!
Kristine @ Kristine's Kitchen says
You and your cupcakes! They always look so amazing! I love all of the flavors in these pumpkin cupcakes. And I've got to try your salted maple caramel sauce! Pinned!
Lindsey says
Hahah I know. I have a cupcake problem. Thanks for the pin, Kristine!
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures says
I don't remember this pumpkin shortage. What a tragedy!
Lindsey says
Completely! Thanks for stopping by!
Liz says
Your frosting to cupcake ratio is perfect! LOVE these pumpkin gems!!!
Lindsey says
Thanks, Liz! I tried to have some self-restraint 🙂