Description
Pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream elevate fall baking to new heights of comfort. Warm spices and rich chocolate create a delightful dessert perfect for autumn gatherings, offering you a sweet moment of seasonal indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (240 grams) canned pumpkin puree
- ½ cup (120 mL / 4 fl oz) vegetable oil or melted butter
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 grams) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 ¼ cups (160 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (130 grams) mini chocolate chips
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
- ¼ tsp ground ginger (optional)
Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:
- ½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (240 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2–3 tbsps milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Preparation: Position oven rack in middle and preheat to 350F (175C). Line a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners, ensuring even spacing.
- Dry Ingredients: Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt into a mixing bowl. Whisk thoroughly to eliminate potential lumps and distribute spices uniformly.
- Wet Mixture: In a large bowl, combine vegetable oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. Whisk vigorously until the mixture transforms into a smooth, homogeneous blend with no visible sugar granules.
- Batter Assembly: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients using a rubber spatula. Mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing. Delicately fold in mini chocolate chips, ensuring even distribution throughout the batter.
- Baking Process: Spoon batter into cupcake liners, filling each three-quarters full. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a cupcake – it should emerge clean.
- Cooling Stage: Allow cupcakes to rest in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting to prevent buttercream from melting.
- Buttercream Creation: Beat butter in a medium bowl until creamy and light. Gradually add powdered sugar, blending after each addition. Incorporate ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and milk, adjusting liquid to achieve a smooth, spreadable consistency.
- Finishing Touch: Once cupcakes are fully cooled, pipe or spread cinnamon buttercream with a piping bag or spatula. Optionally garnish with additional mini chocolate chips, a sprinkle of cinnamon, or a decorative candy pumpkin.
Notes
- Prevent Overmixing: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients, stopping as soon as the batter becomes cohesive to maintain a tender, light cupcake texture.
- Achieve Perfect Moisture: Use room temperature eggs and pumpkin puree to ensure even mixing and a consistently moist cupcake crumb.
- Control Chocolate Distribution: Lightly coat mini chocolate chips in flour before adding to the batter to prevent them from sinking to the bottom during baking.
- Ensure Precise Baking: Check cupcakes a few minutes before the recommended baking time, as oven temperatures can vary, and use the toothpick test to avoid overbaking and drying out the cupcakes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg