Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cupcakes: Sweet, Salty Fun
These Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cupcakes are literally my go-to treat every fall. The sweet pumpkin and that salty caramel? Pure magic together! I’ve made them for breakfast parties and fancy desserts, and they disappear in minutes every time.
Honestly, the sweet-and-salty combo is totally addictive. They make my house smell incredible and taste even better! Want more pumpkin goodness? Check out my Maple Pumpkin Cupcakes and Pumpkin Biscoff Cupcakes too!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Okay, so here’s the fun stuff you’ll need! Don’t worry, the recipe card below has all the exact amounts spelled out for you.
- Pumpkin Puree: This keeps everything super moist and gives you that gorgeous orange color everyone loves.
- All-Purpose Flour: Just regular flour works great. It makes them nice and fluffy without being heavy.
- Brown Sugar: Way better than white sugar here! The molasses taste is perfect with pumpkin.
- Vegetable Oil: Trust me, this is the secret to keeping them soft for days and days.
- Eggs: These hold everything together and make the cupcakes rich. Can’t skip them!
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: All those warm, cozy spices in one easy bottle. Love it!
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: The magic duo that makes your cupcakes rise up nice and tall.
- Cream Cheese: This tangy stuff balances out all that sweetness. So good!
- Butter: Makes the frosting silky smooth. Always use the real deal, not margarine.
- Salted Caramel Sauce: Here’s the star! This is what makes people ask for your recipe.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens it up and makes the frosting thick enough to pipe fancy swirls.
How to Make Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cupcakes
Alright, let’s get baking! This is way easier than you think. Just follow along and you’ll have amazing cupcakes in no time.
Step 1: Prepare Your Pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper cupcake liners for easy removal.
Step 2: Make the Batter
- Whisk together 1 cup pumpkin puree, ½ cup vegetable oil, 2 eggs, and 1 cup brown sugar until smooth.
- Mix 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon baking soda.
- Fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.
Step 3: Fill and Bake
- Fill cupcake liners three-quarters full with batter and bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove cupcakes from the pan and let them cool completely on a wire rack for about 30 minutes.
Step 4: Make the Frosting
- Beat 8 oz cream cheese and ½ cup softened butter until fluffy, then add ½ cup salted caramel sauce.
- Gradually mix in 2 cups of powdered sugar until frosting reaches a smooth, pipeable consistency, about 3 minutes of beating.
Step 5: Frost and Garnish Your Cupcakes
Pipe or spread the salted caramel frosting generously onto each cooled cupcake using your preferred decorating method.
Drizzle each frosted cupcake with extra salted caramel sauce for a beautiful presentation and added flavor. Drizzle with more salted caramel sauce, if desired. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cupcakes
Here’s what I’ve learned from making these a million times:
- Room temp ingredients mix way better. Cold stuff makes lumpy batter, and nobody wants that!
- Easy on the mixing, or you’ll end up with hockey pucks instead of fluffy cupcakes. Just saying!
- Wait until they’re cool before frosting. Melted frosting sliding off is super sad to watch.
- Good caramel matters so much! Make your own or buy the fancy jar. You’ll taste the difference.
- Keep them cold because cream cheese frosting needs to stay in the fridge. Food safety first!
Variations and Substitutions
Want to switch things up? Go for it! These cupcakes are pretty flexible and forgiving.
- Maple lovers: Swap the salted caramel for maple sauce. It tastes like fall in a cupcake!
- No dairy: Grab some vegan cream cheese and plant butter. Works like a charm!
- Less spice: Cut the pumpkin spice down to 1 teaspoon if you like it milder.
- Coconut twist: Try melted coconut oil instead of vegetable oil for a fun tropical hint.
- Crunch time: Toss some chopped pecans in the batter. The texture is so nice!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time?
Yep! Bake them two days early if you want. Just keep them covered and don’t frost them yet.
How do I store leftover cupcakes?
Pop them in a container with a lid and stick them in the fridge. They’ll stay fresh for 5 days!
Can I freeze these cupcakes?
For sure! Wrap the unfrosted ones really well. They’ll keep for 3 whole months in your freezer!
What can I use instead of pumpkin puree?
Sweet potato puree works great! It tastes pretty similar and has the same smooth texture you need.
How do I prevent cupcakes from sinking?
Don’t peek in the oven while they’re baking! Also, make sure your baking powder isn’t old and expired.
Can I use canned pumpkin pie filling?
Nope, don’t do it! That stuff has extra sugar and spices already. You need plain pumpkin puree only.
How do I make the frosting thicker?
Just add more powdered sugar, one spoonful at a time. Keep going until it’s as thick as you want!
What’s the best way to drizzle caramel?
Warm it up a tiny bit first. Then use a spoon or squeeze bottle for pretty drizzles all over!
Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cupcakes: Sweet, Salty Fun
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cupcakes:
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup salted caramel sauce
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- extra salted caramel sauce for drizzling
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 350°F and put cupcake liners in your muffin pan right now.
- Mix pumpkin puree, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a big bowl until smooth.
- Grab another bowl and stir together flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry stuff to the wet stuff and fold gently until it’s just mixed.
- Fill each liner about three-quarters full with batter and pop them in the oven.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick poked in comes out totally clean.
- Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack.
- Beat cream cheese and butter together until they’re light and fluffy looking. So pretty!
- Add the salted caramel sauce to your frosting and beat until it’s all mixed in.
- Slowly add powdered sugar while beating until the frosting is thick enough to pipe nicely.
- Frost each cooled cupcake with a generous swirl or spread it on however you like.
- Drizzle that extra caramel sauce on top for the most gorgeous finish ever. Yum!
Notes
- Only use plain pumpkin puree, not the pie filling kind with added sugar and spices.
- Let your cream cheese and butter sit out so they’re nice and soft.
- Keep frosted cupcakes in the fridge in a container for up to five happy days.
- Warm up your caramel sauce just a little bit before you drizzle it on.
- Freeze cupcakes without frosting, wrapped tightly, for up to 3 months if you want.
