This is one of my favourite fall baking recipes. It’s a nutritious dessert ideal for Thanksgiving or any other special occasion. The pumpkin cupcakes are moist and dense, infused with warming spices like cinnamon and pumpkin spice, while the frosting is a lovely mixture of Greek yogurt, vanilla and pumpkin puree. This recipe is vegetarian and diabetes diet friendly.

I must confess, as a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator, I have a skip in my step when crafting healthy sweet recipes. The truth is, I love nothing more than satisfying your sweet tooth without added sugar and ultra-refined ingredients. How do I achieve this in a pumpkin cupcakes recipe, you ask? Simply by using pumpkin puree and dates as a natural sweetener and oat flour as the base.

Not only do pumpkin and dates add natural sweetness, but they also add moisture and boost nutrition. Oat flour is also a nutrient-dense alternative to white flour. It adds some heart-healthy and blood-sugar-friendly dietary fibre. We love to enjoy these morsels as a quick breakfast or snack.

Ingredients

To make these easy pumpkin cupcakes, you will need the following:

Cupcakes

Frosting

Date paste made for the cupcakes batter is also used for the frosting. See recipe card for details.
  • Dates: I find soft Medjool dates work best for this recipe. I soak pitted dates in hot water for a bit before using them to make them even softer.
  • Water: for soaking the dates.
  • Oat flour: either make your own oat flour by blending rolled oats or purchase pre-made oat flour from the store.
  • Pumpkin puree: Make sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling which contains added sugar and won’t lead to the same moist pumpkin cupcake result.
  • Cinnamon: the pumpkin spice flavour wouldn’t be complete without a good dose of cinnamon.
  • Baking powder: this helps the cupcakes rise and become fluffy.
  • Butter: I use a small amount of unsalted butter in the pumpkin cupcake batter to add some richness.
  • Eggs: for binding and structure in the pumpkin cupcake batter. Not to mention, they add some protein too.
  • Salt: just a small amount to balance out the flavours.
  • Greek yogurt: There is no cream cheese frosting used. Adding Greek yogurt not only makes the frosting creamy but also boosts the protein content to help keep you fuller longer.
  • Vanilla extract: helps to add flavour and sweetness to the frosting.

How to make pumpkin spice cupcakes

You can make these either in a stand mixer or by hand with a bowl and wooden spoon; both methods work just fine.

  1. Preheat your oven to 380 degrees Fahrenheit and in a small bowl, soak the pitted dates in hot water for about 20 minutes (Step 1).
  2. Meanwhile, whisk butter, pumpkin puree, spices, salt and baking powder in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (Step 2). Then, add eggs and whisk again to combine (Step 3).
  3. To make date paste, remove the water from the dates and reserve 1/2 cup. Next, add the dates and 1/2 cup date water to a mini food processor and blend until smooth (Steps 4-5).
  4. Add the date paste and oat flour to the stand mixer, reserving 2 tbsp of date paste for the frosting. Mix until you have a smooth batter, taking care not to overmix (Steps 6-7).
  5. Scoop the pumpkin cupcake batter into the lined cupcake tray, filling each all the way full. Use the back of a spoon to flatten out any bumps on the top and send to bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through. You can use a toothpick to check for doneness (Step 8).
  6. While the pumpkin cupcakes cool, make the frosting by combining Greek yogurt, pumpkin spice, pumpkin puree, 2 tbsp date pasta, and vanilla extract in a small bowl (Steps 9-10). Frost cooled cupcakes, and enjoy!

Tips and variations

  • To add some crunch, top the pumpkin cupcakes with pumpkin seeds or crushed walnuts before serving.
  • For a vegan pumpkin cupcake, substitute the butter for coconut oil and use a flax egg instead of regular eggs.
  • Room-temperature eggs, butter and pumpkin puree, will lead to a smoother pumpkin cupcake batter, so make sure to take them out of the fridge beforehand.
  • The yogurt frosting can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days, but it may need to be stirred before use.
  • If you do not have pumpkin spice on hand, a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice can be used instead. Feel free to switch up the frosting, too – cream cheese would also taste delicious.
  • Use a small spoon to fill the cupcake liners because you’ll have better control and less of a mess.
  • It’s important to allow the pumpkin cupcakes to cool completely before frosting them, as the frosting may melt otherwise.

Storage

These delicious spiced pumpkin cupcakes (unfrosted) will last unrefrigerated for two days and remain moist and dense. If you want to make them to last a bit longer, you can keep them in the fridge; however, they do harden slightly. If you’re making the frosting, store it separately in a mason jar in the fridge and only frost each pumpkin cupcake as needed.

Here’s why pumpkin is a nourishing addition to your diet

Delicious and nutritious, canned pumpkin contains only natural sugars with no added sweeteners. You’ll also notice that pumpkin puree has zero fat. In my opinion, it’s such a humble superfood for your meals and snacks; just make sure to check the label and opt for plain pumpkin puree without added sugar or salt.

If you’re interested, here’s a breakdown of canned pumpkin nutrition facts:

Nutrient and caloriesAmount%DV
Fat0g0%
Protein2g4%
Carbohydrate20g7%
Sugars8g16%
Dietary Fibre6g21%
Sodium0mg0%
Iron3.4g19%
Calcium60mg5%
Sodium9.6mg0%
Calories79

Just one cup of canned pumpkin has only 70 calories, 1 gram of fat, while packing in 16 grams of carbohydrates and 7 grams dietary fibre. Plus, it provides 3 grams protein.

Pumpkin vitamins and minerals

Besides being a wonderful source of vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, iron, and calcium, pumpkin is rich in antioxidants. Similarly, it also contains several compounds that may offer various health benefits. In a nutshell, these include reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension, some cancers, improving eye health and digestion and supporting immune function.

How can I make my cupcakes more moist?

You can achieve moist cupcakes in different ways. For example, the pumpkin puree and dates make the cupcake batter naturally moister. Remember, you don’t want to over-mix the batter, though, or else the cupcakes will turn out very dense; mix until everything is just combined. Additionally, if you bake the pumpkin cupcakes too long, they’ll dry out—so keep an eye on the timer! Bear in mind that any recipe with fat (like butter or oil) will also result in less dry cupcakes.

How many calories are in pumpkin cupcakes?

Healthy dessert ideas like pumpkin cupcakes made with pumpkin puree, dates and Greek yogurt have lower calories than traditional cupcakes. For example, each pumpkin cupcake in this recipe has about 250 calories. However, the calorie count can vary depending on the ingredients used and serving size. It’s important to enjoy mindfully—even wholesome recipes.

Nutrition highlights

One pumpkin spiced cupcake is:

  • An excellent source of vitamin A (95% DV)
  • A good source of dietary fibre (12% DV)

*Nutrient claims are based on a 2000-calorie diet

What are your favourite healthy dessert recipes?

Desi~liciously Yours, Shahzadi

I’d love to hear from you if you try this easy spiced pumpkin cupcake recipe! Leave a comment, rate it, or share a photo and hashtag #desiliciousrd on Instagram. I can’t wait to see your photos.

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Get the Recipe:

No Added Sugar Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 12 cupcakes
This is one of my favourite fall baking recipes. It's a nutritious dessert ideal for Thanksgiving or any other special occasion. The pumpkin cupcakes are moist and dense, infused with warming spices like cinnamon and pumpkin spice, while the frosting is a lovely mixture of Greek yogurt, vanilla and pumpkin puree. This recipe is vegetarian and diabetes diet friendly.

Ingredients
 

Cupcake batter

  • 8 Medjool dates, soft
  • 1 cup water, boiling water
  • 1 cup butter, unsalted, room temperature
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree, unsweetened
  • 2 eggs, medium size, room temperature
  • tsp pumpkin spice
  • ½ tsp cinnamon powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • tsp baking powder
  • cup oat flour

Frosting

Equipment

  • 1 Electric whisk or stand mixer

Instructions
 

Cupcake batter

  • Preheat oven to 380°F, and soak dates in boiling water for 20 minutes.
  • To make date paste, add soaked dates with 1/2 cup of leftover date water and blitz until creamy. Set it aside.
  • Whisk butter, pumpkin puree, spices, salt and baking powder until creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Follow with eggs and whisk again to combine.
  • Add date paste (reserving 2 tbsp for frosting) and flour and whisk to combine, being careful not to over-mix.
  • Line a standard 12-cup baking tray and spoon mixture into paper cases, and send to bake for 20-25 minutes (middle shelf) or until cooked.
  • Cool on a rack before frosting; otherwise they will be sticky.

Frosting

  • Combine Greek yogurt, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, vanilla and 2 tbsp date paste and frost cooled cupcakes.

Notes

  • To add some crunch, top the pumpkin cupcakes with pumpkin seeds or crushed walnuts before serving.
  • For a vegan pumpkin cupcake, substitute the butter for coconut oil and use a flax egg instead of regular eggs.
  • Room-temperature eggs, butter and pumpkin puree, will lead to a smoother pumpkin cupcake batter, so make sure to take them out of the fridge beforehand.
  • The yogurt frosting can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days, but it may need to be stirred before use.
  • If you do not have pumpkin spice on hand, a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice can be used instead. Feel free to switch up the frosting, too – cream cheese would also taste delicious.
  • Use a small spoon to fill the cupcake liners because you’ll have better control and less of a mess.
  • It’s important to allow the pumpkin cupcakes to cool completely before frosting them, as the frosting may melt otherwise.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 253kcal (13%)Carbohydrates: 20g (7%)Protein: 4g (8%)Fat: 18g (28%)Saturated Fat: 10g (50%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 68mg (23%)Sodium: 237mg (10%)Potassium: 250mg (7%)Fiber: 3g (12%)Sugar: 8g (9%)Vitamin A: 4750IU (95%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 63mg (6%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

Keep in mind that the nutritional values provided are approximations and suggestions, and might fluctuate depending on ingredient variations, portion sizes, and recipe adjustments. This nutrition facts table cannot account for your individual needs. Your body — including your hunger and satiety cues — change daily. It’s perfectly fine to eat more or less on different days. Instead of letting food guilt take over, consider mindful eating.

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Cuisine: Western
Course: Dessert, Snack
Did you make this recipe?Mention @desiliciousrd on Instagram or tag #desiliciousrd.