These pumpkin spice cupcakes are topped with homemade marshmallow frosting! The cupcakes are packed with pumpkin pie spice and taste so good with the toasted marshmallow frosting. These are the perfect cupcakes for fall, Halloween, Friendsgiving, or Thanksgiving!
These pumpkin pie spice cupcakes are super moist and so easy to make. The cupcakes don't even need a mixer! I was working on a pumpkin pie recipe with marshmallow topping, and I thought, wait... what if I used this same frosting for cupcakes? Ta-da, the perfect fall dessert!
I originally was going to frost these with vanilla buttercream or toasted browned butter buttercream to make the top look like a pumpkin pie (I had seen cupcakes like that at the Brothers Marketplace in Weston, so cute!) but once I started thinking about toasty marshmallows, I couldn't get it out of my head!
These cupcakes were adapted from my pumpkin spice latte cake, but after a lot of testing they tasted better without the buttermilk and with a bit less flour.
Marshmallow Fluff Frosting
The marshmallow frosting is made the same way as Swiss meringue buttercream - minus the butter! We heat egg whites, salt, sugar, and cream of tartar over a double boiler until the sugar dissolves. Then we whip it up until we have stiff peaks - and that's it! It's seriously that easy, don't let the word 'meringue' scare you!
Grab your ingredients!
- Pumpkin: Make sure you're using 100% canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling - they aren't the same thing! Pumpkin pie filling already has sugar and spices in it.
- Oil: The key to making these pumpkin spice cupcakes extra moist is a neutral oil. Use something like sunflower oil, vegetable oil - basically an oil without a strong taste or smell.
- Eggs: You'll need whole eggs for the cupcakes, as well as egg whites to make the homemade marshmallow meringue frosting.
- Cream of Tartar: You can't leave this ingredient out! This ingredient helps stabilize the egg whites, allowing the frosting to maintain its shape.
Let's Make Some Cupcakes!
- Step 1: Whisk the dry ingredients together.
- Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk the wet ingredients until smooth.
- Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet and use a rubber spatula to mix until just combined.
- Step 4: Fill up cupcake liners and bake in the oven.
- Step 5: Whisk the egg whites with the sugar, salt, and cream of tartar over a double boiler until the sugar dissolves.
- Step 6: Place in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk until you have stiff peaks. Frost your cupcakes and enjoy!
Tricks & Tips! 🎃
- No Blow Torch? No Problem. If you don't have a kitchen blow torch, you can still get the frosting toasty! Place the frosted cupcakes on a baking sheet under the broiler. Keep a VERY close eye on them, they'll go from toasty to burnt really quickly. I have found the color from the broiler isn't as rich looking as the blow torch, but it does the job.
- Swap Out Frosting: If you don't want to make this marshmallow frosting, swap it out for coffee frosting for PSL vibes, classic cream cheese frosting, or cookie butter buttercream.
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Thank you!
Ella
Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting
These pumpkin spice cupcakes have toasted marshmallow meringue frosting! These are perfect for Fall and pumpkin spice season.
Equipment
- cupcake pan
- Bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber Spatula
- Stand Mixer
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
- 1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup (120 grams) neutral oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup (200 grams) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (227 grams) pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Marshmallow Frosting
- 4 large (120 grams) egg whites room temperature
- ¾ cup (175 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Ella's Baking Tip!Weigh your ingredients with a kitchen scale for the best results!
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350℉/175℃ and line a cupcake pan with liners. Set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda , 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, canned pumpkin, vanilla extract, eggs, and oil.½ cup (120 grams) neutral oil , 2 large eggs , ½ cup (200 grams) light brown sugar, ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar, 1 cup (227 grams) pumpkin puree, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pour the dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix until just combined with a rubber spatula.
- Fill up the cupcake liners so they're about ⅔ full - you don't want them to overflow in the oven! Bake in the oven for 20-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before removing from the cupcake pan and cooling completely on a wire cooling rack.
Marshmallow Frosting
- Place the egg whites, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl - I prefer using a metal bowl for this.4 large (120 grams) egg whites, ¾ cup (175 grams) granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar, pinch salt
- Fill a saucepan with an inch or two of water on the stove and place over medium-low heat, so the water begins to simmer. Place the bowl on top of the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water.
- Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves. It'll go from thick to frothy. To test, I like to (carefully!) lift the whisk up and rub the mixture between my fingers. You shouldn't feel any of the sugar.
- Take the bowl off the double boiler and place in your stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a handheld mixer). Add the vanilla.1 teaspoon vanilla
- Beat on high speed for 5 minutes, or until you get stiff and glossy peaks.
- Frost your cupcakes with the marshmallow frosting. Optional, but use a kitchen torch to toast the frosting and enjoy!
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Notes
My recipes have been developed and tested in metric grams. I highly recommend using a weighing scale and measuring out your ingredients the metric way. I have provided a conversion to US cups but please note that I haven't tested the recipe with this method. Just click on 'US Customary' above the ingredients to see the cup measurements.
I make sure that all of my ingredients are at room temperature before I start the recipe, so pull out all of the ingredients before you start baking
Pumpkin: you want to use 100% pure pumpkin puree in a can, and not pumpkin pie filling.
Salt: If you don't have kosher salt, halve the amount of salt called for in the recipe. 1 teaspoon kosher salt = ½ teaspoon fine salt.
Vegetable Oil: Use an unflavoured oil like canola oil if you don’t have vegetable oil.
Blow Torch: If you don't have a blow torch, you can either enjoy the frosting untoasted (it tastes like marshmallow fluff!) or you can use your broiler. I place the cupcakes on a baking sheet under the broiler and keep a very close eye on them - it can go from toasty to burnt quickly. Note, the color from the broiler isn't as nice looking and looks a bit grey versus the brown, toasty color you get from a blow torch.
Storage: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let it come to room temperature before eating.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below! You can also tag me on Instagram @alpineella so I can see what you made!
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