So…. I used Pumpkin for the first time a couple of weeks ago and these were the result.
Soft, flavourful, and lightly spiced chocolate chip cupcakes.
There’s something you should know about me. Every year I hollow out a Pumpkin and spend hours picking out all of the seeds so I can oven roast them and then dig in. I adore pumpkin seeds, but the flesh? Not so much. That ends up in the bin…
Butttttt after finding the one supermarket in the UK which stocks Pumpkin Purée I was determined to get baking with it to try and change my mind on it.
I don’t think I could just eat it with a spoon, but it definitely adds an extra something and I was really surprised by how much I loved these cupcakes.
I’ve seen sooooooooooo many Pumpkin recipes recently, on Instagram, Pinterest.. everywhere. So I wanted to see what all the fuss was about!
My boyfriend was like, “No, I doubt I’ll like them, I don’t like pumpkin”, but I was like “I don’t either, but I love these cupcakes” – then he tried one… and then ate 3 more in quick succession.
Following on from my Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes, I thought I’d show you how you can switch things up and end up with these beauties…
I took my base recipe and adjusted it to make it perfect for these cupcakes. There’s a little less sugar, but it’s light brown sugar which adds an extra note, I just love light brown sugar!
Instead of milk, I’ve used the Pumpkin purée and I’ve added spices and chocolate chips.
Simples 🙂
It’s official, I’m a pumpkin convert (in baking, at least) and keep your eyes peeled for some other pumpkin recipes coming up over then next month or so!
You need these in your life, topped off with the light and fluffy cream cheese frosting, these are just perfection.
Whoops… man down.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- For the cupcakes:
- 1 stick (113g) butter/marg*
- 3/4 cup (150g) light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (210g) plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg**
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (175g) milk chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup (180g) Pumpkin Purée
- For the frosting:
- 1/2 stick (56g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (130g) full fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups (270g) icing sugar, sifted
- Sprinkles to decorate optional
Instructions
- For the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line a 12 hole cupcake tin.
- Place the butter and sugar into a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes on med-high speed.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla, scraping down the sides when necessary and mix until smooth and well incorporated, 1 minute on med-high speed.
- Place the flour, baking powder, spices and chocolate chips into a medium sized bowl and stir to combine, make sure all the chocolate chips are coated in flour, otherwise they may sink during baking.
- Add the flour mix to the wet mix and mix on medium speed until smooth and well combined.
- Add in the pumpkin purée and mix on medium until combined and smooth, about 1 minute.
- Divide the batter between the liners, they should be 3/4 full, which was a heaping 2tbsp ice cream scoop for me.
- Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes until risen, golden and an inserted skewer into the centre comes out clean.
- Remove from the cupcake tin as quickly as possible and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled make the frosting:
- Place the butter and cream cheese into a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes on med-high speed.
- Add in the sifted icing sugar and, starting on low, mix until the mixture starts coming together, then turn the speed up and beat until light and smooth.
- Either spoon the frosting onto the cupcakes or half fill a piping bag and pipe a swirl on each cupcake.
- Garnish with sprinkles, if desired.
- Cupcakes will keep in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
*Normally, I would advise the use of butter, but in this recipe margarine results in a more moist cupcake. **Up to 1/4tsp nutmeg, this is down to personal preference, I'm not mad keen on nutmeg and made it with less, but I made them again with 1/4tsp and my boyfriend loved them.
These look amazing! A great cupcake for a fall birthday for sure.
I love how you were able to get some canned pumpkin over there. You are so right…there are so many recipes to make with pumpkin! I love it and buy the cans by the cases! One year, there was word of a shortage. Everyone went into full blown panic over here in the U.S.! Pinning… onto my pumpkin board! (=
Yep, these look absolutely delicious! I love pumpkin everything this time of year. Thanks so much for linking up at the Lovely Ladies Linky! I wanted to let you know I’ll be featuring your post on my facebook page this weekend. 🙂
Mmmmmmmm… these look delicious! The pictures make me want one of these right now!
Thanks for linking up to this week’s Catch a Glimpse Party! I’ll be featuring this tomorrow!
Thanks so much 🙂
Definitely taken some research to find some haha! Pumpkin shortage?! That must have been awful! :O I’ve now got such a list of things to make, I need to buy loads more pumpkin and I could probably do 2 months of just pumpkin recipes here haha!
Thank you so much! There’s now so much I want to make with pumpkin it’s ridiculous, we could probably live off of it for a month!
Thanks a lot and thank you for hosting!
they sound yummy!
These look delicious! Adding it to my list of pumpkin baking must haves for the year!!
What lovely cupcakes! My name is Katie and I host Fall Into the Holidays, open Saturdays. I would love to have you link up!
these look so good! definitely going to have to make them with the fall weather coming up!
My daughter is really into cream cheese frosting and she always wants chocolate chips… can’t wait to show her your recipe. Thanks for sharing it with us on foodie friday.
These look gorgeous and also delicious – I think with the fall in the air and a hot cup of coffee – they would be great. Love your photos!
Hi Annie,
What great cupcakes and just perfect for the season! Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a great week!
Miz Helen
love this recipe my son loves pumpkin bread and I love chocolate chips will have to try this recipe visiting from Sunday Social hop have a great day
I’m stopping by from the Social Sunday hop. I’m a new follower through Twitter & Bloglovin. These look delish! I can’t wait to see more great recipes.
Gorgeous looking cupcakes. I love the addition of chocolate. Thanks for sharing on Thursdays Treasures. This is a feature.
Wow, these look amazing!!
These are mouth-watering cupcakes!
I’m not sure I should have seen them…. as I’m really craving one now! 🙂
Pumpkin, chocolate and cream cheese oh my.. Love these. Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friends Friday and I hope that you will join us again this week.
These look absolutely amazing! Thanks for sharing, I will be trying these!
Pumpkin and chocolate chips in cupcake form? Love it.
Annie, welcome to the pumpkin club! Fall isn’t fall until I’ve baked my first loaf of pumpkin chocolate chip bread 🙂 These cupcakes sounds like a fun twist on my favorite fall recipe. Can’t wait to try it out!
I just wanted to give you a heads up that you’re featured on this week’s Friday Flash Blog on The Jenny Evolution! Thanks so much for sharing and joining in on the fun.
Jennifer @ The Jenny Evolution
Hi there! Wanted to let you know that I really enjoyed your recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes and have chosen it as one of my favorites from last week’s Saturday Spotlight blog hop. It’s been featured on this week’s blog hop which starts at 9pm EST tonight, and was PINed to my Pinterest page. Thanks so much for linking up! Looking forward to seeing what you have to share next time.
Just wanted you to know that your recipe is being featured in a pumpkin dessert round up today on Simple Living and Eating. I will be pinning and tweeting it this week.
These cupcakes seem so flavorful, I love addition of chocolate chips in the cake.I’ve featured this recipe on my blog, hoping that you don’t mind, but if you do, please contact me and I’ll remove it. All the best.
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! It was easy to follow and the cupcakes turned out soooo great, it definitely has the perfect amount of everything 🙂
Did you use real pumpkin? Do you think I could use caned pumpkin for this? I really want to try it but dont want to use real pumpkin
No, I used canned pumpkin 🙂 I don’t have time to make fresh and I find pumpkins so messy! 😀