Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cupcakes
These salted caramel pumpkin cupcakes are the ultimate fall indulgence—moist, spiced pumpkin cupcakes topped with silky salted caramel buttercream and a homemade caramel drizzle. A touch of flaky sea salt takes each bite over the top, balancing cozy sweetness with a hint of savory crunch.
These salted caramel pumpkin cupcakes are what fall baking dreams are made of—sweet, spiced, and will make you want to kick off your Sunday shoes.
With moist pumpkin spice cake, fluffy salted caramel buttercream, homemade caramel drizzle, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, each bite is a decadent dance of flavor that says, “Let’s dance!”
To make the cupcake batter, all you need is a bowl and a whisk so get ready to cut Footloose in your kitchen as you whip up these sweet and salty masterpieces.
So turn up “Almost Paradise,” grab a whisk, and get ready to bake like no one’s watching.
If you want even more pumpkin cupcake recipes, check out my pumpkin Biscoff cupcakes, pumpkin spice latte cupcakes and pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes.
Ingredients for Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cupcakes
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Pumpkin puree
- Milk – Room temperature.
- Vegetable oil – Neutral baking oil.
- Egg – Room temperature.
- Vanilla extract
Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting
- Unsalted butter – Room temperature.
- Powdered sugar
- Salted caramel sauce
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Heavy cream
Additional Ingredients
- Salted caramel sauce
- Flaky sea salt
How to Make Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cupcakes
Step 1: Preheat the oven and line cupcakes pans with cupcake liners.
Step 2: Make the cupcake batter. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add in the wet ingredients and mix until the batter is smooth.
Step 3: Bake the cupcakes. Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full and bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes.
Step 4: Make the buttercream frosting. Whip the butter. Add in the powdered sugar, caramel sauce, vanilla extract, salt, and heavy cream and mix until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
Step 5: Assemble the cupcakes. Use a piping bag fitted with an Ateco 857 piping tip to frost the cupcakes with the salted caramel frosting. Drizzle with salted caramel sauce and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Courtney’s Expert Cupcake Baking Tips
- Use homemade salted caramel sauce for the best results. I recommend making it a day ahead so you have it available and at the correct temperature. Check out my salted caramel sauce recipe which will make enough caramel for the buttercream and the drizzle (with a little extra for you)!
- Use a large cookie scoop to portion the cupcake batter for uniform cupcakes. If there is any extra batter, just make an extra cupcake!
- Use a piping bag with the tip cut off to easily drizzle the salted caramel sauce onto the cupcakes. You want the caramel to be room temperature so it doesn’t melt the buttercream or drip off the cupcakes.
- Check out my posts on tips for making the best cupcakes, best buttercream frosting, and my favorite cupcake baking supplies for even more helpful tips and tricks.
Frequently Asked Questions
For this recipe, I strongly recommend going with homemade salted caramel sauce for the best results. Can you use store-bought? Sure! But each brand of caramel sauce can be a little different, so I can’t guarantee how the recipe will turn out. With my homemade salted caramel sauce, I know it will be perfect every time!
Pumpkin pie spice is a combination of warm spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cloves. You can use store-bought or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice.
The key is temperature! You want the caramel sauce to be warm enough so that it will drizzle, but not too warm that it is runny or melts the buttercream frosting. Room temperature caramel sauce seems to be the perfect consistency. If the caramel is too cold, heat in the microwave in 10 second intervals.
Another great trick is to chill the frosted cupcakes for 30 minutes before drizzling on the caramel. This helps the caramel to firm up as it is drizzled onto the cupcakes.
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Salted Caramel Pumpkin Cupcakes
Ingredients
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cups (156 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp (1.5 tsp) pumpkin pie spice
- 1 ½ tsp (1.5 tsp) baking powder
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- ¾ cup (185 g) pumpkin puree
- ½ cup (120 ml) milk (room temperature)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 (1) large egg (room temperature)
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (60 g) salted caramel sauce (recipe)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) heavy cream
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
Additional Ingredients
- ½ cup (115 g) salted caramel sauce (recipe)
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) flaky sea salt
Instructions
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line cupcake pans with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Add in the pumpkin puree, milk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla extract and whisk until the cupcake batter is well combined and smooth.
- Portion the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners using a large cookie scoop (about 3/4 full). Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the unsalted butter for about 5 minutes until it is smooth and creamy.
- Add in the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until it is fully combined with the butter. Add in the salted caramel sauce, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt, and mix on low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all of the ingredients are well combined.
- Turn the mixer speed to medium and whip the frosting for 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and creamy. Then, mix the frosting on low speed for several minutes to remove any air bubbles.
Assembling the Cupcakes
- Fill a piping bag fitted with an Ateco 857 piping tip with the salted caramel buttercream frosting. Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto the cooled pumpkin spice cupcakes. Drizzle additional salted caramel sauce onto the cupcakes and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Notes
- Room temperature: If serving on the same day, store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool place away from direct sunlight for about 2 hours.
- Refrigerator: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Serve at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
- Freezer: Store the unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container or freezer-safe storage bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the cupcakes and then frost as directed.
Nutrition
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About Courtney
Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author
Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.
Very easy and very good!
Thanks so much Becky! Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!