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!

Pumpkin cupcakes with toasted marshmallow frosting on a wooden circular board.

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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 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.

If you want more pumpkin recipes (hi, who doesn't), try my no bake pumpkin cheesecake bars, brown butter pumpkin pie, and chocolate chip pumpkin snack cake!

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!

All the ingredients needed to make pumpkin spice cupcakes, weighed out into small bowls.

All the ingredients needed to make marshmallow meringue frosting, weighed out into small bowls.

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.

A metal bowl with a whisk and egg whites in it.

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!

A hand holding a marshmallow frosted pumpkin cupcake with a bite taken out of it.

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.

Pumpkin cupcakes with toasted marshmallow frosting.

Want More Pumpkin Spice Recipes?

Ella from Alpine Ella is holding a cake stand with cupcakes on it.

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Thank you!

Ella