Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes are super yummy and so easy to make. A unique twist on a classic – pumpkin cake plus whipped cream frosting with a yummy buttery crust.

I don’t like pie.  There, I’ve said it!  I can’t believe that I’m the only one.  But maybe I am.   For sure I’m always begging my family to include an alternative Thanksgiving dessert on the menu – Pumpkin Spice Cookies, Pumpkin Mini Cakes even Fall Leaves Rice Krispie Treats.  This year I think we have come up with the Thanksgiving dessert that I am going to request every single year from now on … Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes! Boy, are they delicious. The buttery Nilla Wafer bottom is such a great addition to the yummy pumpkin cupcake.  And the light and delicious Whipped Cream frosting is the perfect topping for this unique cupcake that would be great at Halloween, Fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or anytime you have a hankering for a pumpkin that isn’t served up in a pie!

How to Make the Cupcake Batter

Step 1: The cake layer of our Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes was made with this Pillsbury Perfectly Pumpkin Cake mix.  It tastes great and bakes up into a yummy and moist cake.
Step 2: Make up the cake batter as instructed on the cake box with the following additions:

• Add 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Add 6 drops of Orange food coloring

How to Make the Nilla Wafer Crust

Step 3: To make the “crust” for our Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes you will need about 30 Nilla Wafers, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and 3 tablespoons of butter. Put approximately 30 Nilla Wafers in a large plastic bag.
Step 4: Crush them with a rolling pin. You want a coarse crush – not too fine.  That is why we didn’t crush them in a food processor.
Step 5: Melt the butter in the microwave and then add the butter and the sugar into the bag.  Mix thoroughly until the Nilla Wafers are coated with the butter.
Step 6: Add a heaping tablespoon of the Nilla Wafer mixture to each cupcake liner. Use a spoon or your fingers to firmly press down the Nilla Wafer mixture into the bottom of the cupcake liner.  You want the crust to take up about 1/4 of the liner.

Baking Instructions

Step 7: Fill the cupcake liner with the cake batter until it is 3/4 full (as shown above.)
Step 8: Bake the cupcakes as you normally would, 15-20 minutes in a 350-degree oven. This is what the Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes look like fresh out of the oven.  The crust and the cupcake have fused together — so pretty and so delicious!

Frosting the Cupcakes

Step 9: We topped our Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes with our super delicious Best Whipped Cream Frosting. It tastes just like whipped cream but has the consistency of frosting.  This light and not too sweet frosting is perfect for these cupcakes.  You can find the recipe and detailed instructions for making this frosting right here.
Step 10:  Frost the cupcakes as you normally would and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  Leave the cupcakes liners on so the cake doesn’t dry out but we suggest that you remove the liner before you display these beautiful cupcakes on your Thanksgiving dessert table.  The cupcakes taste best at room temperature so we suggest that you take them out of the refrigerator a couple of hours before you serve them.

Other Thanksgiving Cupcakes You Will Love

• Harvest Thanksgiving Cupcakes
• Thanksgiving Caramelcopia Cupcakes
• Chocolate Cake Bites with Peanut Butter Frosting
• Pumpkin Mini Cakes

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