Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Hello! Below is my vegan pumpkin spice cupcakes recipe I presented on my local NBC news station, WRCB, in a segment about plant-based fall foods a few years ago! 

If you’re looking for an autumnal treat that is:

• warming
• flavorful
• cozy
• pumpkin
• easy

Then this is the recipe for you! The pumpkin and vanilla spice base is topped with vanilla buttercream icing and then drizzled with a delectable pumpkin caramel. Make sure you get pumpkin pie mix instead of just canned pumpkin, though! They are different, so pay attention to the labels on the cans. These vegan pumpkin spice cupcakes are a lovely treat to bring to any autumn gathering or dinner party.

This vegan pumpkin spice cupcakes recipe is rounded off nicely with the addition of caramel. Ooey gooey buttery sweetness makes you go back for seconds and thirds, so I made these mini-cupcakes for an all-in-one bite!

I HIGHLY recommend snagging some squeezy bottles for any caramel or chocolate drips you might add to your baked goods. They’re super affordable and easily washable with a bottle brush. I keep these on hand in my fridge for salad dressings and other sauces too! Using these allows for more control.

I modified Chloe Coscarelli’s spiced cupcake recipe found in her first cookbook and came up with a pumpkin caramel drizzle to top the vanilla buttercream.

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream and Pumpkin Caramel Drizzle by The Friendly Feast

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 27 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 40 mini cupcakes, or 20 regular cupcakes

Ingredients

  

Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg

Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 cup pumpkin pie mix (from a can)
• 2 T apple cider vinegar
• 1 T pure vanilla extract

Pumpkin Caramel

• 4 T brown sugar
• 2 T vegan butter
• 1 T vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup pumpkin pie mix

Buttercream Icing

• 1/2 cup vegan butter
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 3 cups powdered sugar (separated)
• 1 T vanilla extract
• 2-4 T almond milk

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
• Whisk all dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
• Whisk all wet ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl. Pour into dry ingredient bowl, stirring until just combined.
• Pour 1 tsp worth of cupcake batter into each of the mini muffin liners, or 1 1/2 T worth into a regular sized cupcake liners. Basically you want each cupcake slot to be 2/3 full of batter to leave room to rise. Bake mini cupcakes for 12 minutes. Bake full sized for 18 minutes. Check to ensure doneness by inserting a toothpick into one cupcake and pulling out--if there are a few crumbs on the toothpick they're done, if there is wet batter, bake a minute or two more. Remove and allow to cool completely.
• Make the pumpkin caramel by adding all caramel ingredients to a small saucepan over low heat. Stir with a whisk until melted through. Add to a squirt bottle for easy distribution among the cupcakes.
• Make the buttercream icing by combining the butter and shortening together in a mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed for one minute, and then add vanilla extract and beat for 30 more seconds. Add one cup of powdered sugar at a time, adding almond milk one tablespoon at a time to make sure the icing isn't too dry. (I usually use about 3 T of milk, adding it after 2 cups of powdered sugar has been whipped in)
• Put icing on cooled cupcakes and then top with caramel sauce. Sprinkle powdered sugar and cinnamon over top if desired.