Description
Moist and fluffy pumpkin cupcakes filled with mini chocolate chips, flavored with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, brown sugar, and vanilla, then topped with rich chocolate buttercream and extra mini chocolate chips.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
- 1/3 cup buttermilk or regular milk
- 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 6 to 8 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 365°F.
- Line two standard muffin pans with 18 paper cupcake liners.
- Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
- Beat the vegetable oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- Turn off the mixer and stir in the pumpkin puree.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the flour mixture.
- Turn off the mixer and fold in 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips.
- Divide the batter among the prepared liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cupcakes in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Beat the softened butter in a large bowl until very light and fluffy.
- Turn the mixer to low speed and beat in 2 cups powdered sugar.
- Beat in the cocoa powder until combined.
- Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream until the frosting reaches the desired sweetness and piping consistency.
- Pipe or spread the chocolate frosting onto the completely cooled cupcakes.
- Decorate each cupcake with additional mini chocolate chips.
Notes
- Use plain pumpkin puree, not sweetened pumpkin pie filling.
- Mini chocolate chips work best because standard chocolate chips are heavier and may sink to the bottoms of the cupcakes.
- Measure the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling the top to avoid dense cupcakes.
- Do not overmix the batter after adding the flour mixture.
- Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting so the buttercream does not melt.
- Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Bring refrigerated cupcakes to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
- Nutrition values are estimated per cupcake based on 18 servings.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 446
- Sugar: 43
- Sodium: 132
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 13
- Unsaturated Fat: 11
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 61