By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 24
167 cal · 31 min
Pumpkin Cream Cupcakes
Recipe GLPRa2a949ad5bcc7c
Classic autumn-inspired cupcakes featuring a moist spice cake base infused with pumpkin and topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. These tender treats combine warm spices with a creamy sweet topping, making them perfect for fall gatherings and celebrations.
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Ingredients
1 pkg. (2-layer size) spice cake mix
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) vanilla instant pudding mix
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
Prepare the spice cake batter according to package directions.
Stir the vanilla pudding mix and canned pumpkin into the prepared batter until fully combined.
Divide the pumpkin cake batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
Add the sugar and egg to the cream cheese mixture and beat until well blended.
Spoon a portion of the cream cheese mixture over the pumpkin batter in each cupcake cup.
Bake for 18 to 21 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the pumpkin cake portion comes out clean (the cream cheese topping should be set but may appear slightly soft).
Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes.
Remove cupcakes to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before serving.
Comments
This box-mix shortcut lands all standard ingredients at any Charlotte grocer—cake mix, pudding mix, and canned pumpkin are pantry staples at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Walmart, and ALDI alike—so no special trips required. The 31-minute claim is honest for a small-batch cupcake bake, though frosting and cooling will push a weeknight closer to an hour if you're plating them; that said, the cream cheese frosting is straightforward and the cupcakes reheat cleanly or hold in a container for days. Cost per serving lands around 35–45 cents, driven entirely by cream cheese and eggs—genuinely budget-friendly for a dessert that feeds a crowd. The main caveat is that this skews sweet without much pumpkin depth; if your household prizes nuance over convenient volume, you might add a pinch of extra spice or reduce sugar slightly.
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