Fluffy, flavorful, and spiced to perfection, these Small Batch Pumpkin Cupcakes are topped with a decadent homemade cream cheese frosting and ready to rock your pumpkin spice loving socks!
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 6-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
Combine flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Mix and set aside.
Combine pumpkin puree, sugar, egg, oil, and juice in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until just blended.
Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and stir with a fork or whisk until just moistened.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Since we're adding a full cup of pumpkin here (hello flavor and moistness!) cups will be a little over 3/4 full but not filled past the muffin liner.
Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, checking for doneness with a toothpick inserted to the center of the cupcake. Mine were perfect at 27 minutes (I'm at sea level) but oven times may vary.
Carefully remove cupcakes from muffin tin and allow to cool completely on a wire baking rack.
While they cool, make the frosting.
To make the cream cheese butterream frosting, combine softened butter and cream cheese in a medium/large mixing bowl. Use an electric hand-mixer and beat until lusciously creamy and free of lumps.
Beat in vanilla and salt until incorporated. Adjust mixer speed to low and, in batches, gradually add powdered sugar while mixing the frosting. After the powdered sugar is incorporated, beat at medium speed for a few more seconds, then add to a piping bag to frost cooled cupcakes.
After frosting, feel free to sprinkle cupcakes with a teeny bit of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice as a tasty garnish.
Notes
Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!