These moist pumpkin cupcakes are made extra easy by doctoring up a box of cake mix. Combining warm pumpkin pie spice and lots of real pumpkin creates a soft, tender and flavorful cupcake. Frosted with a rich and creamy caramel cream cheese frosting, you won’t believe how fast they disappear!
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Test Kitchen Review
Simone
Delicious and super easy to make, love the salted caramel and pumpkin together. Next time I will drizzle them with caramel sauce and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds :-). Mini chocolate chips would also be awesome.
Why I Love This Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe
When I don’t have the time or energy to whip up a batch of my pumpkin cupcakes from scratch, I always reach for this super easy cake mix version. With three little ones running around, I don’t always have time for complicated desserts! This easy pumpkin cupcake recipe comes together so quickly, and the smell of pumpkin spice wafting through the kitchen always makes my kids run in, eager to sneak a taste. Here’s why you will find yourself making these over and over again:
- Sweet and Salty: The combination of soft and moist pumpkin cupcakes, with just the right amount of pumpkin spice, and sweet, salted caramel frosting swirled on top is perfection!
- Easy Cake Mix Recipe: Although I love homemade from-scratch recipes, easy cake mix recipes are so simple and budget friendly.
- Moist and Rich: The texture is so soft and tender; they melt in your mouth. One whole can of real pumpkin purée gives these cupcakes the perfect seasonal flavor and a rich, moist texture.
- Great For A Crowd: Cupcakes are so great because they’re already portioned, can be made a day in advance, and are easily portable.
Calling all cupcake lovers! Get your frosted fix with more easy recipes like my chocolate cupcakes, spiced churro cupcakes, or these moist red velvet cupcakes.
Key Ingredients
Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make this easy pumpkin cupcake recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Cake Mix: I like classic yellow cake mix for this recipe, but a spiced cake mix will also work! Just skip the added pumpkin spices if using a spiced cake mix.
- Pumpkin Spice: Store-bought pumpkin pie spice or homemade both work great. For a homemade pumpkin spice blend, combine 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp ginger and ⅛ tsp cloves.
- Pumpkin: Make sure to use 100% canned or homemade pumpkin puree. Do not use pumpkin pie filling, as it is already sweetened and seasoned.
- Oil: Vegetable oil, canola oil, or whatever light, neutral-tasting oil you prefer.
- Cream Cheese and Unsalted Butter: Both need to be at room temperature to make the frosting.
- Caramel Sauce: You can use salted caramel sauce or regular caramel sauce, depending on your preference. I always use my homemade salted caramel sauce, but store-bought works great too!
How to Make Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cake Mix
Thanks to the box of cake mix, this pumpkin cupcake recipe is easy-peasy. Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions and to watch the step-by-step video.
- Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together your cake mix and pumpkin pie spice. Add the eggs, pumpkin puree, and vegetable oil, whisking until the batter is smooth.
- Bake: Add the batter to your cupcake liners, filling 3/4ths of the way full, and bake for about 13 to 15 minutes. Cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool: Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely. (You can speed up this process by placing the cupcakes in the fridge if needed.)
- Make the Frosting: In a stand mixer, or bowl with a hand mixer, beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add in the vanilla, and the powdered sugar in batches, beating until light and fluffy. Finally, beat in the caramel sauce.
- Frost and Decorate: Spread the frosting on top of your cooled cupcakes and add a candy pumpkin to each, if you’re using those. You can pipe this frosting as well, but it is softer than traditional cream cheese frosting, so I recommend using a round tip instead of a star tip. Enjoy!
Chef’s Tips & Variations
- More Spice: You can swap the box of yellow cake mix for spiced cake mix and skip the added pumpkin pie spice if you want a more pronounced pumpkin spice flavor. The cupcakes will be darker in color than if you used yellow cake mix.
- Plain Caramel: You can also use regular caramel sauce in place of salted caramel sauce. If you do this, I recommend adding a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to your frosting. It won’t taste “salted,” but it will make the flavors pop more. All frostings have a pinch of salt in them to help round out the sweetness!
- Add Nuts: Mix in some chopped pecans or walnuts to give the cupcakes a bit of crunch. Garnish with whole pecans, or candied pecans, for a pretty presentation!
- Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes: Mix a 1/2 to 1 cup of mini chocolate chips tossed with a teaspoon of flour into the pumpkin cupcake batter. You can also frost them with a chocolate buttercream frosting and sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top.
- Whipped Cream Topping: For a lighter-tasting version of this recipe, top the completely-cooled cupcakes with sweetened whipped cream and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce.
More Easy Pumpkin Dessert Recipes
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Easy Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cake Mix
⭐️Test Kitchen Approved!⭐️These easy Pumpkin Cupcakes with cake mix are super moist, perfectly spiced, and simple to make! Topped with a salted caramel cream cheese frosting, they're seriously irresistible.
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 (14.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 3 large eggs
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree, or homemade pumpkin puree
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup salted caramel sauce, or store-bought salted caramel sauce
- 24 candy pumpkins, optional garnish
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cupcake pans with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk to combine the cake mix and pumpkin pie spice. Add the eggs, pumpkin puree and vegetable oil, stirring until well combined.
- Divide batter into cupcake liners and bake for about 13-15 minutes, until baked through and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely. (You can speed up this process by placing the cupcakes in the fridge if needed.)
- While the cupcakes cool, prepare your frosting. In a stand mixer, or bowl with a hand mixer, beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add in the vanilla.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar into the cream cheese mixture until fully incorporated, beating well after each addition. Pour in the caramel sauce and beat until well combined.
- Spread frosting onto cupcakes or pipe with a bag and frosting tip, if desired. Decorate the cupcakes by placing a pumpkin onto the center of each frosted cupcake. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Storing: To store these cupcakes and keep them fresh, make sure they are completely cooled before storing in an airtight container. Leave space between each cupcake to avoid smearing the frosting, and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
More Spice: You can swap the box of yellow cake mix for spiced cake mix and skip the added pumpkin pie spice if you want a more spiced pumpkin flavor. The cupcakes will be darker in color than if you used yellow cake mix.
Plain Caramel: You can also use regular caramel sauce in place of salted caramel sauce. If you do this, I recommend adding a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to your frosting. It won’t taste salted, but it will make the flavors pop more. All frostings have a pinch of salt in them to help round out the sweetness!
Cooling: You must cool the cupcakes completely before you frost them. There’s nothing more disappointing than frosting a cupcake, only to have the frosting melt right off!
Freezing: To store these cupcakes and keep them fresh, make sure they are completely cooled before storing in an airtight container. Leave space between each cupcake to avoid smearing the frosting, and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Travel: Don’t have a cupcake travel tray or bakery style disposable cupcake trays for transporting? Try making a grid of 2 inch by 2 inch squares with masking tape on a large cookie sheet and set a cupcake in each square!
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cupcake, Calories: 271kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 40mg, Sodium: 217mg, Potassium: 35mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 32g, Vitamin A: 278IU, Vitamin C: 0.04mg, Calcium: 61mg, Iron: 1mg
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