Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes: Rich, Moist Treats
Oh my goodness, I’m SO excited to share these chocolate pumpkin cupcakes with you! Honestly, they’re one of my favorite fall treats because chocolate and pumpkin together? Pure magic.
I love grabbing one for breakfast with my coffee, or serving them as dessert after dinner. The rich chocolate paired with warm spices just makes my heart happy.
Trust me, once you try these chocolate pumpkin cupcakes, you’ll be making them all season long. They’re that good!
Want more fall pumpkin cupcake ideas? Check out my Maple Pumpkin Cupcakes, Pumpkin Biscoff Cupcakes, and Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cupcakes, too!
Ingredients You’ll Need
So here’s what you need to whip up these amazing cupcakes. Look at the recipe card below for exact amounts!
- Semi-sweet chocolate: This gives you that rich, deep chocolate taste everyone loves. Plus, it keeps everything super moist!
- All-purpose flour & cake flour: Using both makes the cupcakes light and fluffy while keeping them sturdy. It’s like magic!
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: More chocolate flavor? Yes please! This also makes them beautifully dark and gorgeous.
- Pumpkin puree: The secret to keeping these cupcakes moist and adding that cozy fall flavor we all crave.
- Buttermilk: This makes the texture so tender and adds a little tang that balances everything perfectly.
- Warm spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, and cloves bring all those cozy autumn vibes. Yum!
- Cream cheese: The tangy flavor is amazing with the sweet pumpkin and chocolate. You’re gonna love it!
- Butter: Makes everything smooth, creamy, and extra delicious. Can’t skip this!
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens things up and gives you that perfect frosting texture for swirling on top.
How to Make Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes
Ready to bake? Let me walk you through it step by step!
Step 1: Prep Your Oven and Pan
Turn your oven to 350°F and pop those cupcake liners in your 12-cup muffin tin. Melt 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate in a double boiler or just zap it in the microwave. Let it cool a bit before using!
Step 2: Make Your Batter
- Firstly, whisk your dry ingredients… In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup cake flour, ½ cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon allspice, ¼ teaspoon cardamom, ¼ teaspoon cloves, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- After, in your stand mixer or hand mixer, beat ¾ cup softened butter with 1½ cups sugar for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Crack 3 eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Pour in melted chocolate and 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste.
- Stir in 1 cup pumpkin puree until the batter turns that gorgeous orange-brown color.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and ¾ cup buttermilk, starting and ending with dry. Mix on low just until combined!
Step 3: Fill and Bake
- Scoop the batter into those lined cups using a spoon or ice cream scoop. Fill them about two-thirds full so they have room to rise. Pop them in your preheated oven for 18-20 minutes. They’re done when a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs!
- Take them out and let them sit in the muffin tin for 5 minutes. Then move them to your wire cooling rack. Wait about 30 minutes until they’re completely cool before frosting.
Step 4: Make Frosting and Decorate
Beat 8 tablespoons softened butter with 8 oz cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Slowly add 4 cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup pumpkin puree, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 teaspoon orange zest, and orange food coloring if you want. Pipe or spread on cooled cupcakes and ENJOY!
Tips for the Best Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes
Here’s what I’ve learned from making these a million times:
- Room temperature ingredients mix way better and give you a smoother batter. No lumps!
- Don’t overmix once you add the flour. Just stir until you can’t see any dry bits.
- Check with a toothpick and look for a few moist crumbs. That means they’re perfect!
- Let them cool completely before frosting, or everything will just slide right off. Been there!
- Keep them in the fridge once they’re frosted because of that cream cheese. Safety first!
Variations and Substitutions
Feel free to mix things up and make these your own!
- Dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet makes them less sweet and more intense. So good if you love dark chocolate!
- Greek yogurt works great if you don’t have buttermilk sitting around. Same tangy flavor!
- Chocolate chips mixed into the batter? Yes please! Extra chocolate never hurt anyone.
- Try different spices like ginger or star anise for a fun twist on the classic flavors.
- Gluten-free flour works too if you need it. Just use your favorite blend!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time?
Absolutely! Bake them up to two days early and keep them in a container at room temperature. Just don’t frost them until you’re ready to serve. Easy peasy!
How do I store leftover chocolate pumpkin cupcakes?
Pop them in a container with a lid and stick them in the fridge. They’ll stay fresh for up to five days! Let them sit out for a bit before eating for the best taste.
Can I freeze these cupcakes?
You bet! Wrap the unfrosted cupcakes really well in plastic wrap and freeze for up to three months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight, then bring them to room temperature before frosting!
Why are my cupcakes dense?
Probably too much mixing! When you overmix, you make them tough. Just mix until everything’s combined, and make sure your ingredients are room temperature. That helps a ton!
Can I use canned pumpkin?
Yes! Pure pumpkin puree from a can is perfect. Just don’t use pumpkin pie filling because that has extra sugar and spices already in it. That would mess up the recipe!
Can I make these without buttermilk?
Sure thing! Mix one tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into regular milk. Wait five minutes and boom – you’ve got buttermilk! Works like a charm every time.
What can I use instead of cream cheese frosting?
Try chocolate buttercream, vanilla buttercream, or even whipped cream! They all taste amazing with these spiced chocolate pumpkin cupcakes. Pick your favorite!
Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes: Rich, Moist Treats
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes:
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cake flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fresh-grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ cups sugar
- ¾ cup butter softened
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
For the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 tablespoons salted butter 1 stick
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar plus extra if needed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Orange food coloring optional
Equipment
- Standard 12-cup muffin tin
- Cupcake liners
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Mixing bowls
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.
- Melt semi-sweet chocolate in a double boiler or microwave, then let it cool slightly.
- Whisk together both flours, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and all spices together.
- Beat softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three to four minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after adding each one in.
- Mix in melted chocolate and vanilla bean paste until the batter looks completely smooth.
- Stir in pumpkin puree until fully combined and batter turns orange-brown evenly throughout.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
- Fill cupcake liners two-thirds full with batter, leaving some room for them to rise.
- Bake 18-20 minutes until the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs only.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack for complete cooling.
- Beat butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy with no lumps left.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, pumpkin puree, vanilla, orange zest, and optional food coloring slowly.
- Beat frosting until light and fluffy, adding more sugar if you need a thicker consistency.
- Pipe or spread frosting onto completely cooled cupcakes using your preferred decorating style choice.
Notes
- Room temperature ingredients mix more easily and create a much better cupcake texture overall.
- Don’t overmix batter after adding flour to keep tender, fluffy cupcake texture intact.
- Store frosted cupcakes refrigerated because the cream cheese frosting needs to stay cold.
- Cupcakes can be frozen unfrosted for up to three months when wrapped tightly.
- Adjust frosting thickness by adding more powdered sugar or tiny amounts of milk.
