Perfectly baked Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes are topped with the most irresistible pumpkin buttercream frosting! Make a batch of these autumnal favorites today for a wonderfully cozy sweet treat that’s rich with equal parts pumpkin and espresso flavors.
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes Recipe
It’s that time of year, friends! The time of year where we all inevitably end up waiting in line at Starbucks for our favorite #PSL. I love that pumpkin coffee drink so much, I’ve made it into the most delicious cupcake recipe!
After all, sometimes I want all of the flavors of a pumpkin spice latte with way less of the caffeine. These cupcakes give you all the pumpkin and espresso flavors you’re craving in the form of soft, moist cake and rich buttercream frosting. Are you drooling yet?
Made 100% from scratch, these cupcakes far surpass anything you’d get in a box mix from the store. They’ve got the perfect fluffy, soft consistency and they’re flavorful as can be. Plus, for a homemade recipe, they’re a real cinch to whip up.
Why You’ll Love this Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcake Recipe:
- Easy: Homemade doesn’t mean hard! These cupcakes come together with simple, easy to follow steps.
- Pumpkin: Between the months of September to November, I just can’t get enough pumpkin in my diet. These cupcakes really help with that craving!
- Perfect for Gifting: Hand these out to neighbors, friends, teachers, and anyone else who you think could use a perfect cupcake! Everyone loves these treats.
How to Make Frosted Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Preheat the oven and prepare cupcake tins.
- Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly amongst the tins.
- Bake.
- Remove the baked cupcakes from the oven, and poke holes in the tops.
- Drizzle the remaining coffee onto the cupcakes.
- Cool completely before frosting.
- Make the frosting by first beating the butter.
- Then, add the vanilla, espresso, and pumpkin pie spice to the creamed butter.
- Add powdered sugar.
- Transfer the icing to a piping bag, then decorate the cupcakes.
- Enjoy!
The vegetable oil and pumpkin puree are what make these cupcakes so moist and delicious! Just make sure you’re using pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
Espresso is preferred for the richest flavor. However, a strongly brewed coffee with a lot of flavor will also do the trick!
In an airtight container at room temperature, these homemade pumpkin spice latte cupcakes will stay fresh for up to 2 days.
I like to keep things simple with just piped frosting and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. However, you could also add a drizzle of caramel or even a green straw to resemble your favorite Starbucks drink!
These cupcakes are rich with flavors of real pumpkin puree and rich espresso. They really check all the boxes of a pumpkin spice latte!
Hand these out to neighbors to become the most popular baker in the neighborhood this fall! Trust me, no one can resist a pumpkin spice latter cupcake.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Make sure to use just the right amount of pumpkin puree that’s called for. If you use too much or too little, the consistency will be thrown way off.
- For the piping bag, I used a Wilton 2A tip.
- Always check your cupcakes with a toothpick to make sure they’re really baked!
More Pumpkin Recipes
Pumpkin spice and everything nice – including espresso! That’s the best way to describe these irresistibly good cupcakes.
If you make this recipe be sure to leave us a comment or rating. Enjoy!
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour 180 grams
- 1 cup brown sugar 213 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder 4 grams
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder 7 grams
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 3 grams
- ¼ cup vegetable oil 50 grams
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree 57 grams
- ¼ cup whole milk 57 grams
- ½ cup strong coffee or espresso 114 grams, divided
- 2 large eggs 100 grams
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
For the Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter 113 grams, room temperature (1 stick)
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder 5 grams
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2½ cups powdered sugar 283 grams
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-count cupcake tin with paper liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, instant espresso, and pumpkin pie spice.1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- In another bowl, combine the vegetable oil, pumpkin puree, whole milk, ¼ cup coffee, eggs, and vanilla.¼ cup vegetable oil, ¼ cup pumpkin puree, ¼ cup whole milk, ½ cup strong coffee or espresso, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until they are combined– be sure not to overmix!
- Divide the batter between the tins, filling each one ¾ of the way full.
- Bake the cupcakes for 14-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- While the cupcakes are warm, remove them to a wire rack and poke the top a few times with a fork. Drizzle over the remaining ¼ cup coffee (I added about 1 teaspoon to the top of each cupcake).
- Set the cupcakes aside to cool completely before frosting.
For the Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.½ cup unsalted butter
- Add in the vanilla, espresso powder, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix to combine.2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a little at a time.2½ cups powdered sugar
- Once all of the sugar has been incorporated, turn the mixer to high speed and beat until the frosting becomes light and fluffy, about 2-4 minutes.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip (I used a Wilton 2A).
- Pipe the frosting on the cooled cupcakes and garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Notes
- Make sure to use just the right amount of pumpkin puree that’s called for. If you use too much or too little, the consistency will be thrown way off.
- For the piping bag, I used a Wilton 2A tip.
- Always check your cupcakes with a toothpick to make sure they’re really baked!
The frosting didn’t come together until we added a little bit of milk but other than that great recipe! Also, make sure you don’t put all of the espresso/coffee into the batter, the text under the step says 1/2c and we didn’t notice that we were supposed to set aside 1/4c of it for after they cook. Other than that, super delicious!
Occasionally, more milk or powdered sugar is needed to achieve the desired consistency in the frosting. This really depends on personal preference and environmental factors, such as how dry it is in your kitchen! The text under each step is automatically generated by the recipe and unfortunately grabs the full amount even when the ingredient is indicated as “divided.” I try to indicate in the step itself how much to use when this is the case by giving the correct measurement! I’m glad these came together for you in the end!