Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Cupcakes

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate pumpkin cupcakes with cake mix are the cupcake recipe you need for all of the last-minute dessert requests. You know, like at the start of the school year when the demand for baked treats goes off the charts and you find yourself with only a few hours to pull something – anything! – together.

That’s been me many times and more than once I’ve been tempted to just pick up cupcakes at the store, but then I figured out a way to doctor-up cake mix to make the best pumpkin chocolate cupcakes. They are so easy to make. They’re not just for fall either. Yes, they have pumpkin but you don’t really taste it. Instead, the pumpkin puree makes them so moist and delicious. They taste homemade and, unless you feel like spilling the beans, no one will think they were made with cake mix. 

Ingredients Needed

• Chocolate fudge cake mix or Devil’s food cake mix: Any chocolate flavor cake mix or brand will work
• Pumpkin puree: Makes the cupcakes super moist – make sure you use puree not pumpkin pie filling.
• Vanilla Buttercream: For the frosting! You can use my homemade vanilla frosting recipe, or buy store-bought! 

How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line two muffin pans with cupcake liners. (I got 18 cupcakes.)
• Mix cake mix, water, oil, and eggs in a large bowl with a hand mixer for about 2 minutes. Add pumpkin and mix until combined. Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full (I use an ice cream scoop for this).
• Bake 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick insterted comes out with just a few little crumbs sticking to it. Cool completely before frosting.
• To make your frosting, beat butter with mixer (hand or stand, your choice) until creamy. Slowly beat in powdered sugar (1 cup at a time). Beat in vanilla. Add 1 tablespoon of cream and mix, then add more cream as necessary to get the consistency you want. Tint with food coloring, if desired.
• Frost cupcakes and sprinkle with (or dip in) sprinkles. Enjoy!