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Pumpkin Cupcakes With Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin cupcakes with caramel cream cheese frosting are fluffy, spiced, and baked until the tops spring back. The frosting is silky and fluffy with thick caramel sauce folded in, finished with a salted caramel drizzle for extra shine.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 18 cupcakes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For pumpkin cupcakes
  • 1.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 0.33 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla
For caramel cream cheese frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.25 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 0.25 cup thick caramel sauce
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 salted caramel for drizzling

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the pumpkin cupcakes
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a cupcake tin with liners, then set it on a sheet pan for easy handling.
  2. Whisk together all dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.
  3. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes, with a lighter color and smoother texture.
  4. Add the eggs and beat to combine, then mix in the pumpkin puree, sour cream, and vanilla until the batter looks uniform and glossy.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until no dry streaks remain, keeping the batter thick and slightly aerated.
  6. Divide batter into the liners, filling each cup about 2/3 full, with a level top before baking.
  7. Bake for 18–20 minutes at 350F, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  8. Cool completely before frosting, letting cupcakes reach room temperature so the frosting stays smooth and holds its swirl.
Make and pipe the caramel cream cheese frosting
  1. Beat the softened cream cheese and softened unsalted butter until smooth, with no visible lumps.
  2. Add the thick caramel sauce and mix until fully incorporated and the frosting turns caramel-tinted.
  3. Beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla until fluffy, pausing to scrape the bowl so the texture is consistent.
  4. Pipe a generous swirl onto each cooled cupcake, then drizzle salted caramel for drizzling over the top for a glossy finish.

Notes

For best frosting texture, use fully softened cream cheese and butter and cool the cupcakes completely before piping. Store frosted cupcakes in the fridge up to 4 days; freeze unfrosted cupcakes up to 2 months, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. For a lighter option, you can use reduced-fat cream cheese (texture stays creamy, but may be slightly less rich).