Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
These Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes are moist, flavorful, and topped with a creamy vegan cream cheese frosting. Perfect for fall celebrations or anytime you crave a dairy-free, egg-free treat bursting with pumpkin spice goodness. Easy to prepare with simple pantry ingredients and a delicious spiced frosting, these cupcakes will impress vegans and non-vegans alike.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pumpkin Cupcakes
- 1 cup (225g) pumpkin puree (canned or homemade, not pumpkin pie filling)
- 3/4 cup (190g) dairy-free milk
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar (or granulated sugar or coconut sugar)
- 1/3 cup (75g) neutral flavored oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose plain flour (spooned and leveled or weighed)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (see note for homemade blend)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 3/4 cup (170g) vegan butter (room temperature)
- 3/4 cup (190g) vegan cream cheese (room temperature)
- 3–4 cups (300g-400g) powdered sugar / icing sugar (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Decorating
- Biscoff pumpkins
- Pumpkin pie spice (or ground cinnamon, for dusting)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. If using paper liners, spray or brush them with oil to prevent sticking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, dairy-free milk, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, neutral oil, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Add all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt to the wet ingredients. Gently mix until just combined. Avoid overmixing; a few lumps are fine as long as there is no dry flour left.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Use an ice cream scoop or spoon to divide the batter evenly into the muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake Cupcakes: Bake in the preheated oven for 22-27 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a cupcake; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Cool Cupcakes: Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for around 15 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare Frosting: In a large bowl, beat vegan butter until light and fluffy using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle or whisk attachment. Add vegan cream cheese and mix briefly until just combined with some lumps remaining (about 30 seconds).
- Add Powdered Sugar: Gradually add powdered sugar while beating on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium and beat until frosting firms up. Avoid overmixing as frosting can soften. Add more powdered sugar if needed for thicker consistency. Chill until ready to use.
- Frost Cupcakes: Once cupcakes have fully cooled, spread frosting on top using a spatula or pipe with a piping bag. Dust with extra pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon.
- Decorate: Top each cupcake with Biscoff pumpkins or your preferred pumpkin-themed decoration for a festive touch.
- Serve and Store: Serve cupcakes immediately or store unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze unfrosted cupcakes in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month, storing frosting separately. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- You can make your own pumpkin pie spice using cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves for authentic flavor.
- Do not use canned pumpkin pie filling as it contains added sugars and spices not suitable for this recipe.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter to keep cupcakes light and fluffy.
- Adjust powdered sugar in the frosting depending on desired sweetness and consistency.
- Neutral-flavored oil like canola or vegetable oil works best for a balanced flavor.
Keywords: vegan pumpkin cupcakes, dairy-free cupcakes, pumpkin spice cupcakes, vegan desserts, fall recipes, plant-based cupcakes
