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Pumpkin spice? Yes. Chocolate? Always. Pumpkin spice + chocolate? Give me a minute, please. I need to compose myself.
Pull out your favorite plaid blanket, pour a cup of steaming coffee, and snuggle up to the fireplace with these chocolate-filled pumpkin cupcakes. The cupcake recipe of my dreams, these warm spice-infused cakes — encasing a decadent chocolate truffle and topped with a cream cheese frosting — are sure to make you swoon.
The pumpkin puree makes these fluffy, tender, and moist, the pumpkin pecan butter gives these a richness with just a hint of spice, and the inclusion of brown sugar lends a deep, cozy flavor to this sweet-yet-not-too-sweet dessert. But let's be real: When you bite into one of these treats and get that ooey gooey chocolate center, you will be singing the praises of the chocolate truffle that lives inside these little bundles of joy.
The cream cheese frosting is pretty special, too. It's velvety, smooth, and fluffy, yet a bit tangy, with a kick of cinnamon to balance the sweetness. The best thing about this frosting is it doesn't compete with the pumpkin flavor but rather complements it with its subtle sweetness and light texture. Pile it high atop the cupcakes for a delightfully memorable bite. Happy fall!
Chocolate-Filled Pumpkin Cupcakes With Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
For the cupcakes
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup Harry & David® Pumpkin Pecan Butter
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ? cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch salt
- 15 Harry & David chocolate truffles
For the frosting
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
- 2 tablespoons Harry & David maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 cups powdered sugar
For the cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350° F and line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pecan butter, vegetable oil, and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Add to dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Don't over mix.
Fill up the cupcake tins about half way with the batter. Add a truffle to the center of each cupcake and gently press it into the batter. Top the truffle with a spoonful of batter, just enough to cover it.
Bake for 15 to 16 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting. Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese until fluffy.
Next, add the maple syrup, heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Mix until combined.
Slowly add the powdered sugar and mix until the frosting is fluffy and smooth.
Top cupcakes with frosting and enjoy! Best if eaten within 3 days.
AUTHOR
Janine Nyquist is a chef, recipe developer, and food stylist. She focuses on simple, thoughtful cooking and regularly shares her food and cooking adventures on her Instagram @janinenyquist. Raised Italian-American, food and family have always been at the forefront of Janine's life. In the kitchen, you can often find her dancing while sautéing, usually singing into a wooden spoon, and occasionally making a mess. Her philosophy is: expressing love through the transformation of simple ingredients and gathering together to make memories around the table. Janine lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, with her husband and two rainbow babies. When she is not in the kitchen she enjoys exercising, traveling, and sitting at cafes drinking oat milk lattes.