Description
Espresso and pumpkin spice come together in these cream cheese-topped cupcakes to taste like the best pumpkin spice latte, but in dessert form.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
- 1/4 cup whole milk
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 oz (113 g) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
To serve:
- Caramel sauce, for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cupcake tin with liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside.
- In a mixer, beat both sugars and butter together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well for at least 2 minutes. Beat in the pumpkin puree and vanilla for an additional minute.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the espresso powder and milk until dissolved.
- Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk mixture to the mixer, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions flour, 2 additions milk). Mix until just combined.
- Fill the lined cups about 2/3 full. Bake for 15–18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
- Make the frosting: beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla; beat well. In a separate bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture gently until combined. Do not over-fold — you want it to stay fluffy.
- Pipe or dollop the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Drizzle with caramel sauce before serving.
Notes
Instant espresso powder deepens the spice flavor without making the cupcakes taste like coffee. For the frosting, make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature before beating so it stays smooth when you fold in the whipped cream.
- Category: Baking, Cake