Pumpkin Pecan Cupcakes Recipe

It goes without saying that fall is certainly the time of year for all things pumpkin. Everything from drinks and desserts to even savory dishes feature this favorite ingredient as the star. And it certainly continues on from the beginning of fall all the way through Thanksgiving.

That popularity has to do with pumpkin being such a wildly versatile ingredient, pairing well with sweet and savory applications. From apples and caramel to browned butter and sage, it's delicious in anything. Another great flavor pairing? Pumpkin and pecans.

These cupcakes bring together two classic fall flavors for the perfect bite. The cupcakes are soft and moist, with great texture added from chopped pecans. They're topped with a luscious, tangy cream cheese frosting and a sprinkle of chopped pecans to create the ultimate fall treat. And even better? There's no need for store-bought treats here. You can pull off making them from scratch at home in under 30 minutes.

Gather the ingredients for this pumpkin pecan cupcake recipe

To get started on these delicious treats, grab your ingredients first. For this pumpkin pecan cupcakes recipe, you'll need flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, one egg, oil, canned pumpkin, and milk.

To make the cream cheese frosting, you'll also need unsalted softened butter, one brick of softened cream cheese, and powdered sugar. And of course, you'll need pecans to round it out.

Mix the dry ingredients

To get started on baking the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 F. This step will allow the oven to heat up to the proper temperature while you make your pumpkin cupcake batter. 

In a mixing bowl, add in all of the dry ingredients. Add in the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and mix to combine. Be sure the dry mixture is free of any large clumps before moving on.

Add the wet ingredients to finish the batter

With the dry ingredients ready, it's time to finish the batter with the wet ingredients. First up add in the egg and the oil and mix. Next, mix in the milk, and then mix in the pumpkin until the batter forms. Be sure not to overmix the batter at this step. Overmixing will cause the gluten to overdevelop, resulting in a drier cupcake.

Once the batter is ready, mix in the chopped pecans. 

Scoop the batter and bake the cupcakes

Once the batter is ready, it's time to bake! Line a cupcake pan with paper liners to prevent the cupcakes from sticking while baking. Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake wells, filling halfway full. Place the cupcake pan in the oven and bake the cupcakes for 18 to 20 minutes. Once the cupcakes are done, remove them from the oven and set them aside to fully cool before adding cream cheese frosting.

Make the cream cheese frosting

To make the cream cheese frosting, grab a mixing bowl. Add in the softened butter and softened cream cheese and mix the two ingredients with a hand mixer until fluffy. Next, add in two cups of the powdered sugar and the milk and mix. Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar to the mixture until the frosting comes together.

Once the cupcakes are fully cooled, frost them with the cream cheese frosting. Garnish each cupcake with additional crushed pecans if desired.

Pumpkin Pecan Cupcakes Recipe
5 from 27 ratings
It goes without saying that fall is certainly the time of year for all things pumpkin. That's why these pumpkin pecan cupcakes are so perfect.
Prep Time
10
minutes
Cook Time
18
minutes
Servings
12
cupcakes
pumpkin pecan cupcakes
Total time: 28 minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 ½ cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup oil
  • 1 cup pumpkin
  • ½ cup + 2 tablespoons milk, divided
  • ½ cup chopped pecans
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 (8-ounce) brick cream cheese, softened
  • 4 to 5 cups powdered sugar
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. In a mixing bowl, add all of the dry ingredients. Add in the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix to combine.
  3. Add in the egg, mix, and add in the oil. Mix in pumpkin ½ cup milk until the batter forms. Do not overmix.
  4. Mix in the chopped pecans.
  5. Divide the batter into a cupcake tin lined with paper liners. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Allow to fully cool before frosting.
  6. To make the cream cheese frosting, add the softened butter and softened cream cheese to a mixing bowl. Whip until fluffy.
  7. Add in two cups of powdered sugar and the remaining milk and mix. Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar until the frosting comes together.
  8. Frost the cooled cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Garnish with chopped pecans if desired.
  9. Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition
Calories per Serving 501
Total Fat 21.0 g
Saturated Fat 8.3 g
Trans Fat 0.3 g
Cholesterol 50.7 mg
Total Carbohydrates 76.6 g
Dietary Fiber 1.2 g
Total Sugars 62.4 g
Sodium 246.3 mg
Protein 4.2 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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