Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes
These Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes are incredibly moist and packed full of fall flavor. They're topped with a rich chocolate buttercream frosting and a cute pumpkin truffle. If you're looking for a fun twist on a fall dessert, this chocolate pumpkin cupcake recipe is a must-try!
I have to admit I am one of those people who loves pumpkin in everything. I'm not apologizing for that. These tasty chocolate pumpkin cupcakes are the perfect treat for your next big event and will fly off the tray as soon as you set them down!
Kids and adults alike will enjoy these decadent chocolatey treats and they are the perfect kid-friendly dessert for Halloween or Thanksgiving. What a crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients for the Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes Recipe
- All-Purpose Flour - Flour forms the foundation for this recipe.
- Granulated Sugar - Adds a little sweetness to the recipe, but not too much since we are adding buttercream frosting!
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - That beloved chocolate flavor.
- Baking Powder - Replace your baking powder every six months or so to prevent recipe failure.
- Salt - regular granulated table salt. Do not use coarse salt for this recipe.
- Ground Cinnamon - Make sure you have fresh cinnamon! Dry spices usually only last about six months.
- Whole Milk - The added fat content improves this recipe.
- Canned Pumpkin Puree - You could also use homemade pumpkin puree.
- Vegetable Oil - vegetable or canola will both work in this recipe.
- Eggs - Lightly beaten large eggs.
- Vanilla Extract - Pure vanilla extract is best, but some people do prefer imitation vanilla.
How to make Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes
Mixing up your cupcakes will take mere minutes so this recipe is an easy dessert to finish up fast.
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Always preheat your oven first to ensure perfectly baked desserts every single time. Next, mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl and whisk until combined.
Set aside the dry mixture, and in another bowl mix the milk, pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, and vanilla, whisking until incorporated. Next, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk again. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Fill each cupcake liner ¾ full and bake for fifteen to eighteen minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Let the cupcakes cool completely before adding the frosting so that it doesn't melt.
How to Make the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Beat the butter for two to three minutes until it is light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar and beat it in.
When all of the powdered sugar has been added, add the chocolate and vanilla and beat to combine. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Beat this mixture on high for several minutes. Pipe the frosting onto your cupcakes using a 1M tip.
Ingredients for the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe
- Butter - set it out a couple hours ahead of time so that it is room temperature for best results. You can use dairy-free if needed.
- Powdered sugar - sometimes called icing sugar.
- Milk or Semi-sweet baking chocolate - melted and cooled.
- Vanilla Extract - The perfect finishing touch.
Tips for making Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes
You can store your cupcakes at room temperature for up to four days. If you have not consumed all of the cupcakes within three or four days they should be refrigerated or frozen.
Yes! You can freeze cupcakes for up to four months in an airtight container and thaw as needed. Once frozen they can be dropped into a gallon size freezer-quality bag or you can place each one in its own baggy for convenient lunch box treats.
Yes! This is a cake recipe, so you can bake it in any cake pan you would make a cake in. A 9x5 loaf pan will work but will be really full. Bake it for 50-55 minutes. A better choice would be two 8 x 4 loaf pans with the batter split evenly between them. These will need to be baked for 30-35 minutes. Test for doneness with a dinner knife inserted in the center -- it should come out clean.
Pumpkin Recipes to Make You Happy
Try these Pumpkin Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies.
Enjoy Pumpkin Spice Monkey Bread.
Have some Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars.
Serve up Pumpkin Earthquake Cake.
Blow your guests away with this Pumpkin Spice Cake with Brown Butter Frosting.
Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup canned pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Buttercream
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 6 ounces milk or semi-sweet baking chocolate melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk until combined.
- In a separate bowl, add the milk, pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until incorporated.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk just until combined. Scrape down the edges and bottom of the bowl.
- Fill each cupcake liner ¾ of the way full.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool 5 to 10 minutes in the pan before transferring them to a wire rack and cool completely.
Chocolate Buttercream
- Add the butter to a large bowl or stand mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes with the hand mixer or 1 minute with stand mixer.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the powdered sugar.
- Once all of the powdered sugar has been incorporated, add the melted chocolate and vanilla. Beat just until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Turn the mixer to medium high speed and beat until the frosting comes light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M tip.
- Pipe tall swirls of frosting on each cupcake.
- Place the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature.
Nutrition
(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)
