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With moist pumpkin cupcakes topped with caramel cream cheese frosting, these Pumpkin Salted Caramel Cupcakes are the perfect cupcake for fall. Quick and easy to prepare too!
Easy Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cupcakes
If you love salted caramel and pumpkin, you’ll love these pumpkin caramel cupcakes. A moist pumpkin cupcake is topped with caramel cream cheese frosting and a caramel drizzle. It’s the perfect combination of flavors.
These pumpkin caramel cupcakes are quick and easy to prepare too, which makes them the perfect treat for fall.
For more great pumpkin flavor, try my pumpkin pie cupcakes or frosted pumpkin cupcakes too.
What You’ll Need
These caramel pumpkin cupcakes are made with just a handful of basic ingredients, including warm spices and pumpkin puree. See the recipe card below for measurements.
- Flour- Use all purpose flour is best to use but self rising flour will work also.
- Cornstarch- This will combat the harsh proteins in the flour and make a more tender cupcake.
- Baking powder- This will help with the rising of your batter.
- Baking soda- This will allow your ingredients to double.
- Salt- This will bring out the flavors in the the cupcake.
- Ground cinnamon, Ground cloves and Ground nutmeg- These are the best spices to go with pumpkin.
- Canola oil- You can use Canola oil or vegetable oil.
- Light brown sugar- This will add flavor and moisture to your cupcakes.
- Sugar- All good desserts need sugar.
- Eggs- Use best temperature eggs for the best results.
- Vanilla extract- Always use pure vanilla for best flavoring.
- Pumpkin puree- Be sure to use the puree and not the pie filling.
- Milk- You can use whole or 2%
- Cream cheese- Best to use softened or at room temperature.
- Butter- Make sure the butter is unsalted to control the salt in the recipe.
- Powdered sugar- This will be used in your frosting.
- Salted caramel sauce– This will be the drizzle that will garnish your cupcake.
- Heavy whipping cream- This will be folded into the frosting to make it thick and creamy.
Doesn’t Salt Make These Cupcakes No Longer Sweet?
Salt actually brings out the flavor in baked goods. A bit of salt makes everything taste sweeter and it is is a great combination.
How to Make Pumpkin Salted Caramel Cupcakes
These pumpkin caramel cupcakes are quick and easy to prepare.
- Make the batter. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the oil and sugars, then slowly beat in the eggs in the vanilla. Once combined, add the pumpkin puree. Slowly add in the dry ingredients until combined.
- Bake. Transfer the batter to muffin liners, filling each one 3/4 way full. Bake for 21 minutes. Allow to cool.
- Add the cream cheese frosting. Beat the cream cheese, butter, caramel, powdered sugar, and whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a piping bag and frost the cupcakes.
- Add the caramel sauce. Transfer the caramel sauce to a squeeze bottle. Drizzle over the frosting.
Can I Make This a Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cake Instead?
If you want to make this a salted caramel pumpkin cake instead of cupcakes it is easy to do. Simply switch to a 9*13 inch cake pan. The cook time will change slightly. It takes about 30 to 35 minutes in a cake pan.
More Salted Caramel Recipes
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats
- Rolo Cookies
- Salted Caramel Bars with Pecans
- Slow Cooker Salted Caramel Apple Butter
Add as Google Trusted SourcePumpkin Salted Caramel Cupcakes
Equipment
- 1 squeeze bottle
- 1 large piping bag with star tip
Ingredients
cupcake ingredients
- 1 ¼ C flour
- ¼ C cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ C canola oil
- ⅔ C light brown sugar, packed
- ⅔ C sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 C pumpkin puree
- ⅓ C whole milk
Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
- 1 – 8 oz box cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 C unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
- 2 C powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp salted caramel sauce
- 3-5 TBSP heavy whipping cream
- ½ C salted caramel sauce
Instructions
cupcake Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners
- Using a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and the cloves
- Using another large bowl, beat together the oil, brown sugar, and sugar until combined
- Beat in the eggs, milk and vanilla until combined
- Gradually beat in the pumpkin puree
- Gradually beat in the dry ingredients until combined
- Scoop batter into the cupcake liners about ¾ way full
- Bake in the oven for 21 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
- Allow to cool completely
Decorating Directions:
- Using a standing mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, 2 tbsp salted caramel, powdered sugar, and heavy whipping cream
- Continue beating until creamy and stiff with peaks
- Scoop frosting into piping bag
- Frost cooled cupcakes
- Pour the ½ C of caramel sauce into the squeeze bottle
- Drizzle over the frosting
- Enjoy
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Where do you use the whole milk?
I corrected the recipe card. Thanks Danica.