These easy vegan pumpkin cupcakes are great for pumpkin season. They are quick, delicious, and make a perfect Fall treat. These cupcakes are light and fluffy with a delicious silky cream cheese frosting.
I love it when it’s pumpkin season; I’m always trying to come up with new ways to add some pumpkin to our diet.
It all happens to be sweet and not savory, but YOLO, all in moderation, right?
I’m curious whether you have any savory pumpkin recipes you love. I’ve never used pumpkin in a savory way.
I’ve heard of people using it for breads and soups but have yet to try it.
To be quite honest, it kind of freaks me out. I know that’s absolutely ridiculous, but I’d rather use butternut squash.
In all fairness, I was freaked out about butternut squash until I had the best butternut squash soup and saw how ridiculous I was. I am sure pumpkin would be the same deal.
Anyway, back to why you are here- the pumpkin cupcakes.
These pumpkin cupcakes are super moist (thank you, pumpkin) and have a really great fluffy texture.
I made the vegan cream cheese frosting with a hint of cinnamon.
You could use pumpkin pie spice if you’d rather it had a hint of pumpkin flavor instead of cinnamon, or you could make it a vanilla cream cheese without any spices.
Vegan Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe Q&A
Can you make these gluten-free pumpkin cupcakes?
I haven’t tried it, but I think you could sub out the regular flour with a gluten-free all purpose flour.
Can I use vegan butter instead of oil?
You could just melt it before using it.
What’s the best type of oil to use in these cupcakes?
I like to use mild oil like vegetable or canola; you could also use melted but cooled coconut oil. I wouldn’t use something like olive oil.
Olive oil typically has just too much of a flavor to use in a baked good majority of the time.
Can I use homemade pumpkin puree?
I prefer using Libby’s canned pumpkin for this specific recipe. I have used an organic, more watery pumpkin, and I didn’t enjoy the flavor nearly as much.
What ingredients do you need for these vegan pumpkin spice cupcakes?
Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full instructions.
- all purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- ground cinnamon
- pumpkin pie spice
- oil
- apple sauce
- brown sugar
- white sugar
- canned pumpkin puree * (pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
- vanilla
Vegan cream cheese frosting
- vegan cream cheese
- vegan butter softened
- powdered sugar
- pure vanilla extract
How do you make these moist vegan pumpkin cupcakes?
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Take a muffin tin and line it with cupcake liners (muffin cups) or grease well.
Take your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl and an electric hand mixer.
Mix your wet ingredients; apple sauce, brown sugar, sugar, vanilla extract, and oil. Mix on medium for a few minutes.
Get a medium bowl and combine your dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
Mix until combined but don’t over-mix.
Take a large cookie scoop or an ice cream scoop and scoop even amounts of cupcake batter into the prepared muffin tin.
Bake in the preheated oven for 16-20 minutes, checking at the 16-minute mark for a toothpick to come out clean.
Let sit in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack (cooling rack).
Let cool completely before frosting.
Clean out your mixing bowl and add your frosting ingredients; mix slowly, then to medium speed for about 5 minutes until fluffy—Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired.
How do you serve these?
These pumpkin cupcakes are best served the day they are made but can be eaten within three days.
I find longer than three days; they tend to lose some good flavor.
How to store leftover cupcakes?
These cupcakes need to be stored in the fridge due to the vegan cream cheese frosting.
It’s best to place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
I don’t recommend eating them straight from the fridge.
Let them sit on the counter for about 30 minutes for better flavor.
Can you freeze these fluffy pumpkin cupcakes?
Yes, they taste best the day they are made, but they can be frozen.
It is always best to freeze cupcakes without the frosting, but you likely already will have the frosting on the cupcakes, and that’s okay.
Place the cupcakes in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
To eat after being frozen, place the cupcakes on the counter to defrost.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bakings soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1/4 cup apple sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin
- 1 tsp vanilla
Frosting
- 4 oz vegan cream cheese
- 1/2 cup vegan butter softened
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Take a muffin tin and line it with cupcake liners or grease well.
- Take your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl and an electric mixer. Mix your wet ingredients; apple sauce, brown sugar, sugar, vanilla extract, and oil. Mix on medium for a few minutes.
- Get a medium bowl and combine your dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix until combined but don't over-mix.
- Take a large cookie scoop or an ice cream scoop and scoop even amounts of cupcake batter into the prepared muffin tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 16-20 minutes, checking at the 16-minute mark for a toothpick to come out clean.
- Let sit in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before frosting.
- Clean out your mixing bowl and add your frosting ingredients; mix slowly then to medium speed for about 5 minutes until fluffy. Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Want some more vegan cupcakes?
Want some more vegan pumpkin recipes?
If you loved this recipe, then give it a 5-star rating and leave a comment! I love to chat with you all. Please feel free to share on social media and tag #courtneyshomestead. I would love to see you over on Instagram or Facebook.