Last week I had to make cupcakes for a Mother’s Club meeting. Needless to say my day didn’t go as planned. So I decided to share some Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes with you guys!
It was my son’s class’ turn to host this month’s Mother’s Club meeting and I thought that it’s the perfect time for some pumpkin goodness with it being November and all. I decided that I wanted to make pumpkin spice latte cupcakes inspired by my friend Betsy’s Pumpkin Spice Latte Layer Cake. This recipe is just SO good and you can always omit the coffee if you’re not down with the PSL thing. 😉 At first I wasn’t going to add coffee to the buttercream, but then I thought “well, why not?!” Might as well go all the way. LOL
At some point my day went off the rails and I found myself with about 30 cupcakes with no home. Since they didn’t go to their intended place I told my husband that he needed to take some of these to work the next day. I just don’t need all those calories in my life! 😉 So I happily packed up 2 dozen for him to take to his office and share with his coworkers.
Shortly after my husband arrived at his office the messages began pouring in. Apparently I had made their day. It started with a phone call from the scheduling manager thanking me personally for sending them the cupcakes. My husband text me that they were a hit and he forwarded me emails that he received throughout the day from others telling him how much they loved the treat. One of my favorite critiques… “You should tell your wife to call these ‘waffles’ because that’s what they remind me of!” LOL
All their sweet compliments made me smile. 🙂 I just wanted to share some yummy goodness and not let it go to waste or to my hips. So now I know that I have a place to send any goodies I develop for future blog posts.
If you happen to find yourself with an “off the rails” day, perhaps it’s time for a tasty treat. Enjoy some Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes today!
xox- Roxana
- 3 c flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 Tbsp instant coffee
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground all spice
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 c sugar
- 1 c light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 c vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp vanilla
- 2 c (or one 15½ oz can) pumpkin puree
- ½ c chai tea (or Pumpkin Spice flavored coffee or tea), hot
- 4 oz (1/2 a brick) cream cheese, softened, but not warm
- 1¼c butter (2½ sticks) butter, room temperature
- 4 - 5 c powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ¼ c heavy whipping cream
- 2 tsp instant coffee
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pans with liners.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, instant coffee, cinnamon, ginger, all spice, nutmeg, cloves, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the sugars until no lumps remain.
- Add the oil and mix until incorporated.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla and mix well.
- Turn the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture a third at a time. Add more just before the last addition is incorporated. Turn the mixer off when the last of the flour mixture is almost finished incorporating.
- Add the hot tea and fold in with a spatula just until the batter is smooth. Don't over mix.
- Using a scoop, scoop the batter into prepared pans to about ¾ full.
- Bake in preheated oven for 15 - 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool for a couple minutes and remove them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and butter and mix until well combined on medium high speed.
- Turn the mixer down to low and begin adding the powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
- After adding 2 cups of the powdered sugar, add the salt and vanilla and mix well.
- Add 2 more cups of powdered sugar (one at a time) and beat on high until well incorporated.
- Dissolve instant coffee in the heavy whipping cream and add to the buttercream, gradually increase the speed to high and beat til light and fluffy.
- If the buttercream is too loose, add more powdered sugar ½ c at a time until desired consistency is reached. (*TIP- cream cheese frosting can be finicky. If it's too warm that pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes and then mix it again to fluff it when you take it out.)
- Pipe a swirl of buttercream on the cooled cupcakes and dust with cinnamon.
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