Pumpkin Cupcake with Pecan Crunch Cream Cheese Frosting

Last year, I shared a delicious pumpkin recipe and decided to improve on it. I essentially cut the recipe in half, added some butter, brown sugar, and made pumpkin cupcake instead. Ok, so I changed a lot… But, this is not just any ordinary pumpkin cupcake, I added a pecan crunch as a topping to the cream cheese frosting. The pecan crunch is coated with pumpkin spice and brown sugar (SUGAH). Need I say more? These cupcakes are so good I guarantee you will temporarily suspend your diet to have a piece. Really, it’s ok because around this side of town we start over on Mondays.

How to make Pumpkin Cupcake

I would hate to bore you with all the juicy details of how I came up with the concoction. But, I will anyway (you will forgive me won’t you?). I have been working on perfecting these pumpkin cupcakes on and off for a while now. Finally, I came up with a texture that I loved. The original recipe while it worked as a cake didn’t rise enough to give the hump I like to see on a cupcake. Plus, perfect cupcakes need something to place it over the top, which brings me to this idea of adding Pecan crunch to the cream cheese frosting. To that, I say “bravo” it was indeed a great decision.

Did I mention that making these cupcakes are easy to make? You know how I feel about easy recipes, I dislike recipes that require you to do five thousand things. Essentially you mix the wet ingredients and then add to the dry ingredients.

For this recipe, I used Trader Joe’s pumpkin spice and pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling). By the way, Trader Joe’s pumpkin spice is a seasonal item and very delicious. Also, I prefer to use Libby’s pumpkin puree or Trader Joe’s.

Not only that I replaced some of the granulated sugar with brown sugar. This increases the flavor profile by one thousand. Are you salivating as much as I am? As proof that this was delicious, my little man who doesn’t usually eat any cake or cupcake (except recently started eating vanilla cupcake) ate a whole cupcake and loved it. You know kids are brutally honest.

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Steps: How to Make the Pumpkin Cupcake

Mix the cake flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl and set aside.

Beat the softened butter until light and fluffy. Then add the oil and mix again. Add the granulated and brown sugar and mix until combined. At this point add the eggs, mix until combined, then add the pumpkin puree. Then add the milk

Next, add all the flour mixture to the bowl and mix until smooth.

Use a cookie scoop to fill the cupcake liners to about halfway (approximately 2 scoops). Bake for 11-16 minutes at 350 degrees.

How to make the Pecan Crunch

To make the pecan crunch prepare a bowl or 8×8 pan lined with wax paper.

Melt the butter, corn syrup, pumpkin spice, and brown sugar until the sugar starts to bubble. Try not to step away from the stove during this time.

Add the Pecans to a bowl and pour the sugar mixture over the Pecans, then mix until all are fully coated.

Place in the 8×8 pan and flatten, sprinkle some pumpkin spice to the top and let it cool down.

Look at how delicious that looks.

To Make the Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Frosting

I love cream cheese frosting but if you are not careful it can get runny. My secret, mix the buttercream without the cream cheese, then add cold cream cheese afterward mix until combined but try to keep the mixing to a minimum. Sorry, I ended up adding the pumpkin spice and vanilla after in the steps because I had a senior moment. Don’t do what I do.

Steps for making the Cream cheese Frosting

Mix the butter until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time until combined.

Then add the heavy cream and vanilla and mix once more.

Once combined add the cold cream cheese and mix.

Then add pumpkin spice.

Mix until combined. If your cream cheese frosting is still a little bit runny, place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

Now it’s time to put it all together.

Decorate by adding a swirl using a 1M tip or use a small spatula to add frosting then break up the pecan crunch and sprinkle over the top of the frosting.

That is it. Enjoy. Don’t forget to share the love and Pin for later.

Until next time. Happy Caking.