Moist, spiced pumpkin cupcakes topped with rich coffee buttercream create the ultimate fall treat. Perfect for pumpkin spice lovers and coffee fans alike!
At a Glance
- Skill Level: Easy – perfect for beginner or intermediate bakers. I whipped these up in no time!
- Flavor Profile: Warm pumpkin spice with hints of cinnamon and pumpkin spice, balanced by rich coffee buttercream. It's a winning combination, I promise!
- Best For: Fall gatherings, Thanksgiving dessert tables, bake sales, or cozy coffee dates at home. These are so good that you might sneak one for breakfast!
The Perfect Fall Cupcake!
If you’re looking for the perfect fall cupcake, you’ve just found it!
Whether you're looking for a quick treat for the kids or something you can take to a special fall event, these cupcakes are going to be ideal. They're simple, tasty, and absolutely perfect for the holidays.
Let's Break it Down
These Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Coffee Buttercream bring together two beloved flavors of the season: warm pumpkin spice and bold coffee. I mean. . .seriously. Can you even imagine? We're talking win-win here, folks!
Each bite is tender, moist, and filled with cozy spices, while the creamy buttercream adds a delicious kick of coffee. And here's a fun twist: You can add more or less of the coffee flavor, depending on your preferences.
I promise, these cupcakes will win hearts (and taste buds) every time.
Pumpkin Spice Cupcake Ingredients
At the bottom of this post you'll find a printable recipe card with the ingredients and instructions, but here's a glance at what you'll need. These are simple ingredients you might already have in your pantry or fridge.
For the Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup canned pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk
For the Coffee Buttercream
- 1 cup (two stick) room temperature butter, (salted or unsalted, your choice)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoon milk or cream
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt (if you use unsalted butter)
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Coffee Buttercream
These come together so easily. You're going to love this process, I promise!
Preheat Oven: Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Set aside.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin purée, vegetable oil, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
Combine: Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions, alternating with milk. Stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
Bake: Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about ¾ full.
Bake 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool: Allow cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Let's Bring it all Together
Use a piping bag (or a spoon for a rustic look), to frost the cooled cupcakes generously with this delicious coffee buttercream. For a special fall touch, lightly dust with cinnamon or pumpkin spice before serving. (Yum!)
Things to Love About This Recipe
- Warm fall flavors: Pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves make every bite cozy and comforting. And you know how much folks love that in the fall.
- Perfectly moist texture: Thanks to pumpkin purée and oil, these cupcakes stay soft and tender. The texture is divine!
- Easy to make: No fancy steps required—simple mixing and baking! (Hey, who has time for fancy when you're so busy?)
- Coffee-lover approved: The rich buttercream is infused with coffee for a subtle yet bold finish. If you love coffee, these will hit the spot!
- Make ahead friendly: Freeze the cupcakes unfrosted and enjoy them anytime.
Variations on this Recipe
There are so many ways to change this up!
- For extra moisture, replace 2 tablespoon of the milk with heavy cream.
- Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then frost when ready to serve.
- Add a drizzle of caramel sauce on top for a coffeehouse-style twist.
Other Pumpkin Favorites from Out of the Box
If you enjoyed this recipe you're sure to love these other pumpkin recipes:
Delicious Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies: If you love the warm, rich spices of fall but you’re also a fan of those delicious oatmeal cookies grandma used to make, you’re going to flip over this simple but yummy recipe from Out of the Box Baking! It merges both worlds into one scrumptious cookie!
Easy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles: If you’re a fan of Snickerdoodles but you’re looking for an autumn-themed version, this is the recipe for you! This simple cookie--lovingly nicknamed Pumpkin-Doodles--is going to be a fan favorite, and not just during the holidays!
Pumpkin Spice Golden Girls: If you’re a fan of those light-as-a-feather Golden Girls cookies, complete with cream cheese, but you’re in the mood for holiday flavors, have I got a treat for you! These Pumpkin Pie Spiced Golden Girls cookies are just the ticket—in the fall or any time of year!
Deep Dish Pumpkin Pie (two ways): This deep dish pumpkin pie is holiday comfort in every bite. Silky-smooth pumpkin filling, kissed with warm spices, is nestled in a flaky crust and baked to perfection. It’s versatile enough to be made in different styles—classic or with your own creative twist—yet always delivers that rich, cozy flavor everyone craves at Thanksgiving. One slice is never enough.
That's it for this post, friends! If you make these cupcakes and enjoy them, feel free to let me know in the comments!
Before you go, why not pin some photos to your Pinterest boards?
About the Author
Hi, I’m Janice! I’m a lifelong baker who loves sharing creative recipes that bring a little extra joy to everyday life. On my blog, Out of the Box Baking, you’ll find everything from simple cakes to show-stopping desserts—always with a mix of fun and flavor. I especially love baking with seasonal ingredients, and pumpkin is one of my favorites! I hope these Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Coffee Buttercream inspire you to whip up something sweet and cozy this fall.
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Coffee Buttercream
Moist, spiced pumpkin cupcakes topped with rich coffee buttercream create the ultimate fall treat. Perfect for pumpkin spice lovers and coffee fans alike!
Ingredients
- For the Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup canned pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk
- For Topping
- 1 cup (two stick) room temperature butter, (salted or unsalted, your choice)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoon milk or cream
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt (if you use unsalted butter)
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
1. Preheat Oven: Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Set aside.
3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin purée, vegetable oil, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Combine: Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions, alternating with milk. Stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. Bake: Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about ¾ full. Bake 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Cool: Allow cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
For the Frosting:
In a small cup, dissolve espresso powder into 1 tablespoon milk or cream.
Beat butter until smooth in a mixing bowl. This is critical to the outcome. Let it whip for at least 2-3 minutes until it changes color and is light and fluffy.
Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with the coffee mixture and extra milk/cream if needed. This is a balancing act. The amount of liquid you add completely depends on what you plan to use this frosting for. If you’re stuffing it between cookies (like my Gingerbread Whoopie Pies) you can get away with leaving it a bit loose. But to decorate with this (especially if you’re swirling with a 1M Wilton tip or other similar tip) you will want to make it sturdy enough to stand on its own two feet. Not stiff. Just strong enough to hold its shape.
Add vanilla and a pinch of salt. (See earlier note. Only add salt if you use unsalted butter.)
Beat until light and fluffy. Fill piping bag and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. (Yum!)
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 412Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 259mgCarbohydrates: 70gFiber: 1gSugar: 55gProtein: 4g
The nutrition information is a product of online calculators. I try to provide true and accurate information, but these numbers are estimates.