These spice cupcakes are made simply from a mix, and are truly delicious. But it’s the pumpkin swirl cream cheese frosting that really brings them up over the top. Serve them for dessert at any autumn festival, picnic or party. Or make them just because.
The recipe for these spice cupcakes was initially formulated with the Snickerdoodle Cake Mix from Kyra’s Bake Shop, which Kyra stopped selling when her Portland, OR gluten-free bakery became insanely busy (winning Cupcake Wars four times will do that.) Now we use Pamela’s Vanilla Cake Mix with the addition of cinnamon, but you can use your favorite GF vanilla mix. (We like King Arthur GF Yellow Cake mix too.) Just make sure it’s vanilla cake and not white or yellow – you want that vanilla flavor. If you’re using a yellow mix, add a teaspoon of vanilla.
If you love pumpkin spice, try my Warm Pumpkin Spice Cocktail recipe. If cheesecake is more your thing, this Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake is hard to beat!
Gluten-Free Spice Cupcakes With Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
for the Spice Cupcakes
- 1 package gluten-free vanilla cake mix plus 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
for the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch salt
for the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 5 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1-2 drops orange food coloring, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees (or according to package). Prepare the mix according to package directions and stir in extra spices. Spoon the batter into a paper-lined muffin tin, filling each about 2/3 full. You should have 1 dozen cupcakes. Bake for 20-25 minutes (or according to package), or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack.
- Prepare the cream cheese frosting. Place the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of your mixer and beat to combine. Add the sugar, vanilla and salt and beat until smooth. Remove from mixer, place in one side of a large zip-top bag (fitted with a large star piping tip if desired) and set aside.
- Clean the mixer bowl, then add the cream cheese and pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Add a drop or two of orange food coloring, if desired and mix to combine. Spoon the frosting into the other side of the large zip top bag next to the plain cream cheese frosting.
- If you haven’t already, snip off a corner of the bag and carefully twist the top of the bag to force the frosting down in the bag.
- Pipe (or swirl) the frosting decoratively over each cupcake. Chill until ready to serve
Notes
Nutrition
