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.
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
- 1½ tsp pumpkin spice
- ½ tsp cinnamon powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1½ cup oat flour
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.
- 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.