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+ servings
Cupcakes topped with cream cheese frosting and chopped pecans on a baking rack.
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Easy Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Adding canned pumpkin puree to a boxed spice cake mix yields the easiest, flavorful fall cupcakes!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes
Servings 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

  • 16.25 ounce box spice cake mix
  • 15 ounce can pure pumpkin puree
  • 3 large eggs
  • ¼ cup water
  • cup vegetable oil
  • Prepared cream cheese frosting or use the frosting recipe below
  • ¼ cup chopped toasted pecans for topping, optional

For the frosting:

  • 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup butter softened, unsalted
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

For the cupcakes:

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Place cupcake liners in 24 muffin cups (or grease muffin cups).
  • Blend cake mix, pumpkin puree, eggs, water and oil in a large bowl at low speed until moistened. Increase speed to medium and beat for an additional 2 minutes.
  • Pour batter into muffin cups evenly (about ¾ full).
  • Bake for 19 to 22 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted is removed clean.
  • Cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:

  • In a large bowl using electric mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
  • Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until incorporated well. Increase speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
  • Frost cupcakes and top with toasted pecans, if desired.