Chocolate Pumpkin Thanksgiving Cupcakes

Celebrate the season with chocolate-pumpkin Thanksgiving cupcakes. They’re crowned with gorgeous swirls of rich chocolate buttercream frosting. These decadent bakery-style treats are quick and easy to make.

PIN THANKSGIVING CUPCAKES

Fluffy, tender and moist, these special Thanksgiving cupcakes are a joy to make and serve all season long. They bring happy smiles, and fill the heart with warm comforting feelings of love, friendship and gratitude.

Because they’re easy to transport, these hand-held desserts are ideal for Thanksgiving potlucks and gatherings. You can pack the frosted treats in a cupcake carrier, or bring unfrosted cupcakes with the icing ready to go in a piping bag with metal tip. Both are great easy options!

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate-pumpkin Thanksgiving cupcakes are super easy to make with everyday ingredients.

Here’s what you’ll need for the batter and frosting.

CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN CUPCAKES

• All-purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• Dutch-process cocoa powder (like Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa)
• Baking powder
• Sea salt
• Ground cinnamon
• Whole milk
• Canned pumpkin puree
• Vegetable oil
• Large eggs
• Pure vanilla extract

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

• Butter
• Powdered sugar
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Pure vanilla extract
• Sea salt

OPTIONAL DECORATIONS: Plastic pumpkin cupcake toppers. Find these in the fall decor section or baking section of your local craft store. A variety of beautiful cupcake toppers with wooden picks can also be found online.

EASY INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

Missing an ingredient for these chocolate-pumpkin Thanksgiving cupcakes? Don’t put on your shoes and head to the market. Instead, head to your fridge or pantry. Check for these easy ingredient swaps.

It’s convenient and money-saving to use ingredients you already have on hand! Especially during stay-at-home times.

• ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR: Either pastry flour or cake flour can be used as a 1:1 substitute for this cupcake recipe. Just know, cake flour can make the surface of the cupcakes more tacky/sticky by the second day.
• GRANULATED SUGAR: Just use light brown sugar for this recipe.
• DUTCH PROCESS COCOA POWDER: Use unsweetened natural cocoa powder paired with baking soda instead of baking powder. Sub 1/4 teaspoon baking soda for 1 teaspoon baking powder.
• GROUND CINNAMON: Sub with apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice.
• WHOLE MILK: This ingredient helps keep cupcakes moist. If needed, use 2% milk instead of whole. If you have heavy cream on hand, use 60% cream to 40% water. Or try dairy-free vanilla milk.
• VEGETABLE OIL: This ingredient adds moisture, richness and makes cupcakes lofty. The best 1:1 subs are safflower oil and canola oil. These neutral-tasting oils won’t affect the flavor of the recipe.
• PURE VANILLA EXTRACT: Sub this delicious flavor enhancer with bourbon, brandy or amber rum. Or sub with vanilla bean paste 1:1.
• BUTTER: This ingredient gives frosting structure. The best substitutes are vegetable shortening or margarine. For the filling, use margarine.
• POWDER SUGAR: Make your own powdered sugar from granulated sugar. Process sugar in a blender or food processor until fine and fluffy. One cup granulated sugar yields about 2 cups powdered sugar.
• SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS: Use your favorite high-quality chocolate baking bar. I prefer the Ghirardelli brand, but you can also use Baker’s premium baking bars.

recipe steps

There’s no need for a stand-mixer for this Thanksgiving cupcakes recipe. All that’s needed: 2 mixing bowls, 1 whisk and 1 rubber spatula.

CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN CUPCAKES

RECIPE PREP: Adjust oven rack to the center position. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 12-well cupcake pan with paper cupcake liners.

• STEP 1: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
• STEP 2: In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together the milk, pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Don’t over-mix, or the cupcakes will be flat and dense rather than light and fluffy!
• STEP 3: Evenly divide the batter between the wells of the pan, filling each 3/4 of the way full.
• STEP 4: Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of 2 cupcakes comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. We don’t want to over-bake the cupcakes.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

EQUIPMENT: Although a stand mixer is helpful, you can easily make the frosting in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer.

• STEP 1: Add softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
• STEP 2: With mixer on low, slowly add powdered sugar the bowl. Once it’s been fully incorporated, add melted chocolate that’s been fully cooled (so it won’t melt the butter) and vanilla. Mix until just combined. Scrape down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as needed.
• STEP 3: Turn the mixer to medium-high speed. Beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
• STEP 4: Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorating tip. Pipe on frosting in swirls. For these cupcakes I used a Wilton 1M metal tip. Find instructions below on how to pipe on frosting for a beautiful bakery-style look.

KITCHEN TIP: To keep your work area clean, drape a lint-free towel over the stand mixer before adding powdered sugar to the bowl. It will protect your countertop from a sugar dust cloud. Always start mixing on low speed.

HOW TO PIPE FROSTING ON CUPCAKES

For beautiful bakery-style desserts, here’s how to pipe the chocolate buttercream frosting onto the surface of your Thanksgiving cupcakes.

1. Hold piping bag fitted with a metal decorating tip straight up, 1/2 inch from surface of the cake. Squeeze bag to form the center of the swirl.
2. Maintaining even pressure, lift the tip up a bit, and move it slightly to the side. Pipe the icing in a circular motion (like writing the letter “C”) until it connects with the center swirl.
3. Move the tip slightly inward for the next level, and repeat the spiraling until the desired height is reached.
4. End frosting spiral at the center. Stop squeezing the piping bag. Then pull the tip straight up and cleanly away.

RECIPE FAQ

These are the most commonly asked questions when making chocolate-pumpkin Thanksgiving cupcakes, and the most helpful answers for recipe success.

MORE FALL CUPCAKE RECIPES

If you love these chocolate-pumpkin Thanksgiving cupcakes, you’ll also enjoy these super-delicious fall cupcakes. Each is a family favorite and a real crowd pleaser. Print the recipes for later, or pin them to Pinterest.

• Butter Pecan Cupcakes
• Candy Corn Cupcakes
• Mint Chocolate Cupcakes
• Cinnamon Cupcakes
• Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
• Tiramisu Cupcakes
• Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

RATE THIS RECIPE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Most everyone loves chocolate! Paired with pumpkin puree and other tasty ingredients, these Thanksgiving cupcakes are a huge hit at the dessert table.

If you too enjoyed these fall-flavored cupcakes, give them a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero! Share it with a friend.

Print

THANKSGIVING CUPCAKES > JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Have you ever enjoyed chocolate-pumpkin cupcakes? What do you think of these decadent Thanksgiving desserts? Share your thoughts on this easy recipe in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!