Jump to Recipe

The Best Pumpkin Spice Buttercream Frosting is sweet, creamy, pumpkin-y, spicy, and delicious, a great Fall cake or cupcake choice!

Closeup on three chocolate cupcakes frosted with The Best Pumpkin Spice Buttercream Frosting.

Pumpkin is not just for pie … give it a try on a cupcake or a cake, we promised you won’t be disappointed. Our Best Pumpkin Spice Buttercream Frosting has all the rich fall flavors of this classic Thanksgiving dessert in the form of another classic … buttercream frosting.  Sweet, creamy, pumpkin-y, spicy, and delicious – this yummy Pumpkin Frosting is a fun option for Fall cakes and cupcakes.  Enjoy!

How to Make

Closeup on a can of Pumpkin Puree and a white ramekin filled with pumpkin puree.

Step 1: The Pumpkin in “Pumpkin Spice” in this recipe comes from the same place as the pumpkin in Pumpkin Pie … Pumpkin Puree. (If you only have canned Pumpkin Pie Filing, make sure to leave out the cinnamon and nutmeg.)

Collage image showing how to cream the butter, pumpkin and spices for the pumpkin spice frosting.

Step 2: In a mixer, add the softened butter, the pumpkin puree, the vanilla, and the spices. The butter should be slightly softened,  which means it is still cold but has been out of the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
Step 3: Mix on medium speed until thoroughly combined (about 2 minutes.)  You want to fully cream the ingredients together so the butter and the pumpkin and the spices all meld together.

Collage image showing how to add the powdered sugar into the frosting mixture.

Step 4: Measure 4 1/2 cups of Powdered Sugar and add it to the measuring bowl.  You can sift the powdered sugar if it is really lumpy but we do not always do this. Instead, we mix the powdered sugar on low for 30 seconds to break up any large lumps before adding it to the butter and pumpkin mixture.
Step 5: Here is a Two Sisters Tip – cover the mixer with a towel during this part of the mixing process to keep the powdered sugar from flying out of the mixer.
Step 6: Start your mixer (or electric beater) on the lowest setting and keep it on low until the butter/pumpkin and sugar are incorporated (about 30 seconds). Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and then increase the speed to medium-high and mix for another 30-45 seconds so the frosting gets light and fluffy.
Step 7: Because of the moisture from the pumpkin puree this is a wet frosting. If it is too loose at this point, add 1 tablespoon of Cornstarch and mix it until combined. This will help thicken up the frosting without changing the taste.

Closeup on a bowl of Pumpkin Spice Frosting and a spatula covered in frosting.

Step 8: This is the fun part of the recipe where you get to taste your frosting. You are trying to determine if the consistency is correct or if it needs more cinnamon or nutmeg or maybe a little more vanilla extract. If it tastes great, test the consistency.  If it is too thin even after adding the cornstarch, try to refrigerate it for an hour to see it if will set back up. You can check out our FAQ section below to see some other advice on making the perfect batch of homemade icing.

How to Serve

Closeup on a decorator bag filled with Pumpkin Frosting sitting in front of a batch of unfrosted chocolate cupcakes.

How much frosting will you need?  That always depends on how thick or thin you apply the frosting or how much decorating you do but here are a couple of guidelines. Our recipe should make enough Pumpkin Frosting to cover a 9″ x 13″ sheet cake or a two-layer 8″ cake.  If you are making cupcakes, you should be able to frost 24 cupcakes if you apply the frosting with a knife.  If you swirl on the frosting with a pastry bag as we have done here, you should be able to frost 15-18 cupcakes depending on the size of the swirl.

Expert Tips and FAQ’s

Does the frosting need to be refrigerated?

Normally we would say that buttercream frosting does not need to be refrigerated but because of the addition of pumpkin, we store this frosting in the refrigerator. Not only for freshness’ sake but to keep the frosting a good consistency.

How do I store any leftover frosting?

Frosting stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator should be good for up to a week. If you carefully wrap the frosting in order to avoid freezer burn, the frosting should be fine in the freezer for 3-4 months.

What should I do if my frosting is too sweet?

Buttercream is a sweet frosting. One thing you can do if it seems too sweet for your palette is to add a pinch of salt to the frosting. But please note that a little salt goes a long way. We cannot stress enough that a pinch (10-15 granules of regular table salt) is all you usually need. Even 1/4 a teaspoon of salt would probably ruin the frosting. Add the salt and mix again and see if that has cut down on the sweetness level.

What should I do if my frosting turned out too thin?

Temperature plays a big part in the consistency of frosting. A thin frosting could mean that the butter has gotten overworked and is too melted. The first thing to do is refrigerate the frosting for an hour and then check to see if the frosting has set back up again. If not, the next step is to add more powdered sugar or cornstarch. Start with either 1/2 cup of Powdered Sugar or 1 tablespoon of Cornstarch. Mix again and see if the consistency is better.

Closeup of a chocolate cupcake topped with The Best Pumpkin Spice Buttercream Frosting sitting on a cutting board next to a ramekin filled with pumpkin puree.

Other Frosting Recipes You Will Love

The Best Pumpkin Spice Buttercream FrostingPrint

The Best Pumpkin Spice Buttercream Frosting

Yield 2 1/2 cups
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

The Best Pumpkin Spice Buttercream Frosting is sweet, creamy, pumpkin-y, spicy and delicious, a great Fall cake or cupcake choice!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Butter, softened (We use Sweet Cream Salted Butter)
  • 1/2 cup Pureed Pumpkin
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
  • 4 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Cornstarch

Instructions

  1. In a mixer, add the softened butter, the pumpkin puree, the vanilla, and the spices. The butter should be slightly softened,  which means it is still cold but has been out of the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
  2. Mix on medium speed until thoroughly combined (about 2 minutes.)  You want to fully cream the ingredients together so the butter and the pumpkin and the spices all meld together.
  3. Measure 4 1/2 cups of Powdered Sugar and add it to the measuring bowl.  You can sift the powdered sugar if it is really lumpy but we do not always do this. Instead, we mix the powdered sugar on low for 30 seconds to break up any large lumps before adding it to the butter and pumpkin mixture.
  4. Start your mixer (or electric beater) on the lowest setting and keep it on low until the butter/pumpkin and sugar are incorporated (about 30 seconds). Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and then increase the speed to medium-high and mix for another 30-45 seconds so the frosting gets light and fluffy.
  5. Because of the moisture from the pumpkin puree this is a wet frosting. If it is too loose at this point, add 1 tablespoon of Cornstarch and mix it until combined. This will help thicken up the frosting without changing the taste.
  6. This is the fun part of the recipe where you get to taste your frosting. You are trying to determine if the consistency is correct or if it needs more cinnamon or nutmeg or maybe a little more vanilla extract. If it tastes great, test the consistency.  If it is too thin even after adding the cornstarch, try to refrigerate it for an hour to see it if will set back up.

Did you Make this Recipe? Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @twosisterscrafting on Instagram so we can see it!

© Two Sisters Crafting
Cuisine: American / Category: Frosting

If you are looking for more tips and tricks for making that perfect batch of homemade frosting we have a few other posts you might want to check out: