Description
Spice Cake Cupcakes with a decadent Cream Cheese Frosting! This is one of my all-time favorite fall desserts! They’re perfectly moist and brimming with all the sweet autumn spices.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 3/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
-
18 cupcake liners
-
18 pumpkin toppers (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 12 oz cream cheese, nearly at room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, nearly at room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a muffin tin with 18 cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cloves for 20 seconds, set aside.
- Pour brown sugar into the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Break up brown sugar with fingertips until no clumps remain.
- Pour in vegetable oil and applesauce, set mixer with paddle attachment and blend until well combined (occasionally stop and scrape bowl throughout mixing process).
- Mix in eggs and vanilla.
- Add in 1/2 of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined, then blend in buttermilk, then add remaining 1/2 of the flour mixture and mix until well combined.
- Divide mixture evenly among 18 cupcake liners filling 3/4. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool on a wire rack until completely cool before frosting.
For the frosting:
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Mix in powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until well blended.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag, and frost. Or frost with a knife. Top with pumpkins.
Notes
You can adjust the amount of spices used here to suit your taste.
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by mixing 1 Tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar with enough milk to equal 1 cup. Whisk and let rest for 5 minutes before using.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes