Pumpkin Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

These Pumpkin Cupcakes are light, moist, and full of warm spices and fall flavor! Top them with a thick swirl of Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting for the most perfect pumpkin dessert. These treats are perfect for fall, Halloween, or even Thanksgiving!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Dessert

Keyword Easy Dessert Recipes, Easy Halloween Desserts

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 30

Servings cupcakes

Calories 403kcal

Author Stephanie Simmons

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

4 large eggs
1 and 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp real maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
one 15 ounce can of pumpkin NOT pumpkin pie filling
2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled 260 grams
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 and 3/4 tsp cinnamon
1 and 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt

For the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 cup salted buter, softened at room temperature 226 grams or 16 tbsp
12 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature Use the block type, and full fat
5 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon or a pinch more, to taste
pinch of salt

Instructions

Make the Brown Butter: In a nonstick pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue cooking the butter - stirring constantly. The butter will get foamy, then bubbly, then start to turn turn golden brown and develop a nutty/caramely aroma. Once it reaches a deep golden color, remove from the heat and pour into a bowl to chill in the fridge or freezer until it's room temperature. It doesn't have to come back to solid before using. See note below if you do bring it back to a solid/softened state.
Prep: Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
Make the Cupcakes: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and pumpkin. Add the dry ingredients and whisk together, making sure no dry bits are hiding in the bottom of the bowl.
Bake: Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them pretty close to the tops - about 3/4 full. (see photos above for reference).
Bake for 18-19 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with some moist crumbs on it, but not wet batter. Let the cupcakes cool a few minutes in the cupcake pan, and then move them to a wire rack to cool completely while you make the frosting. Never frost warm cupcakes!
Make the Frosting: Note: If you aren't planning on piping large swirls of frosting on the cupcakes like in my photos, you may only need 1/2 to 3/4 of the batch. Feel free to scale it down or freeze the extra for later!
Cream together your room temperature brown butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 full minutes.
Add half the powdered sugar and mix until just incorporated. Add the remaining powdered sugar, milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and a pinch of salt and mix until creamy.
Serve + Store: Pipe frosting onto the top of the cupcakes and enjoy immediately! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Make Ahead Tips: Cupcakes can be made ahead, cooled, and stored in a container at room temp for one day before frosting.

Notes

Frosting: If you bring the brown butter back to a softened butter state, rather than a liquid, beat the cream cheese into the frosting at the very end. This will help avoid a runny frosting.

Nutrition