Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

These Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes are flavored with pumpkin puree and fall spices and are topped with pumpkin cream cheese frosting. Great for Halloween or Thanksgiving!

Creating These Easy Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

They kids are always a little over-enthusiastic about baking cupcakes. I don’t know what it is about them that sends them into fits of giddiness.

For me, personally, I prefer cupcakes to layer cakes because I don’t have the patience to do a nice job (or if I’m being honest, even a decent job) at frosting all the layers without getting cake crumbs all over the thing, breaking one of the layers, or making the entire thing lopsided.

Cupcakes are just easier for me, especially now that I know how to properly frost one. It really is all in the tip.

These Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes are perfect for Halloween with the dark chocolate cake and the orange frosting, but they’d make a really good alternative Thanksgiving dessert as well.

I think my kids would much rather have a cupcake for Thanksgiving dessert than pie. I know Logan would for sure. All in all, these are great Thanksgiving or Halloween pumpkin cupcakes.

They don’t taste strongly of pumpkin, but there are those warming spices in the background, and the pumpkin certainly gives the cakes a nice moistness.

Tools Needed to Make Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

You’ll need a few kitchen tools to prepare this chocolate pumpkin cupcake recipe. Here’s what I recommend having on hand before getting started:

• Measuring cups and spoons – to measure ingredients for the chocolate pumpkin spice batter and the frosting recipe.
• Mixing bowl – for combining the dry ingredients.
• Stand mixer or hand mixer with mixing bowl – to beat the wet ingredients together. Then, either wash the bowl or have another at the ready to make the frosting recipe in.
• Muffin liners – will make it easier to remove the baked cupcakes from the cupcake pan.
• Muffin tin – you’ll want a regular sized muffin pan to bake the cupcakes in.
• Cooling rack – I like to place my baked cupcakes on a cooling rack to cool before frosting them.
• Pastry bag and piping tip – to pipe the frosting on top of the cupcakes. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a large zip top plastic bag with piping tip.

Ingredients in Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

This chocolate pumpkin spice cupcakes recipe has two parts: the cupcake base and the pumpkin cream cheese frosting.

To make the chocolate pumpkin cupcakes, you’ll need:

• All-purpose flour
• Unsweetened cocoa powder
• Baking powder and baking soda
• Spices
• Buttermilk
• Pure pumpkin puree
• Vanilla extract
• Unsalted butter
• Dark brown sugar
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs

To make the pumpkin cream cheese frosting, you’ll need:

• Cream cheese
• Unsalted butter
• Pumpkin puree
• Orange zest
• Vanilla extract
• Confectioners’ sugar
• Orange food coloring (optional)

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make these Halloween pumpkin cupcakes, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

How to Make Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

These Halloween pumpkin cupcakes are so simple to make and require minimal prep work. Win!

1. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and spices in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Combine the buttermilk, remaining pumpkin, and vanilla in a medium bowl and set aside.
3. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl, with an electric mixer set on medium speed, until fluffy.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is smooth and light.
5. Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, blending well after each addition.
6. Divide the batter among 36 cupcake liners (about 1/4 cup batter per cupcake) and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
7. Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, top with pumpkin frosting.

The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe for Pumpkin Halloween Cupcakes. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

Tips for Making Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

• Make sure you soften your butter and bring eggs to room temperature ahead of time.
• Use canned pumpkin puree, not not pumpkin pie filling. Got fresh pumpkins? Try making homemade pumpkin puree.
• Evenly fill the cupcake liners with the pumpkin cupcake batter so the cupcakes bake evenly. Check out this trick for filling muffin tins.
• You must let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting them, otherwise the frosting will melt off.
• If you really wanted to get creative you could decorate the tops to look like pumpkins. I am most definitely not that patient.

Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcake FAQs

Got questions about how to make this recipe for chocolate pumpkin cupcakes? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

What should I use if I’m out of some of the recipe’s spices?

If you are out of one or more of the individual spices, simply substitute 3 3/4 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice if you have that on hand.

What should I use if I’m out of buttermilk?

If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, I recommend making your own buttermilk substitute. It takes just 5 minutes to make!

How should I store these cupcakes?

Once frosted, the chocolate pumpkin cupcakes must be kept in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll last up to 4 days, noting that they’ll dry out over time.

Can I freeze the chocolate pumpkin cupcakes?

You can also freeze the cupcake bases and pumpkin frosting separately. When ready to enjoy, thaw the frosting overnight in the fridge and thaw the cupcake bases on the counter.

If freezing just the cupcake bases, seal them in a freezer bag up to 3 months. Check out my How to Freeze Muffins tutorial because you can use similar methods and some of the tips apply as well!

If storing after being frosted, seal them inside an airtight, freezer-safe container (make sure the lid doesn’t smash down the frosting!).

What Readers Are Saying

“I’ve made these several times over the last two years and they are amazing, my whole family loves them!” — Michelle

“Fabulous recipe….I’ve made these a couple of times and shared the recipe with friends. Everyone raved about them. Definite keeper!” — Kari

“I love this recipe! Thanks for sharing this one. My nephews loved this one. I made this recipe a couple of days ago and my nieces and nephews enjoyed it! Thanks a lot!” — Rose Plated

“I baked these cupcakes yesterday. They were amazing and there’s none left to be seen, smelled or eaten.” — Celia

Try this Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe!

Next time you’re looking for the perfect treat for a halloween party, give these delicious chocolate pumpkin cupcakes a try!

Did you love moist chocolate cupcakes with the addition of pumpkin puree and a hint of pumpkin spice flavor? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this great recipe.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of these pumpkin Halloween cupcakes!

More Easy Pumpkin Desserts:

This Pumpkin Pudding recipe is the perfect way to celebrate fall! It is easy to prepare, super creamy, and full of all your favorite fall spices. 

These Pumpkin No Bake Cheesecake Jars are so good and so easy! They feature yummy layers of gingersnap crust and no bake pumpkin cheesecake filling.

This Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Topping is our family’s tried and true pumpkin pie recipe that makes it onto the menu year after year.

Pumpkin Cookie Bars are easier to make than individual cookies, and they feed a crowd!

These Pumpkin Molasses Cookies are like little pumpkin pillows, with just a crunch of sugar on the outside. So good!

Be sure to check out these 25 Pumpkin Recipes to Try this Fall. So, if like me, you have a pumpkin hoarding problem you now have a very good excuse!

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