The Secret to the Most Amazing Pumpkin Caramel Latte Cupcake Recipe Ever

Did someone say pumpkin caramel latte cupcake? Yep, you heard right! Celebrate all the best flavors of fall with this amazing recipe!

If there’s one thing I love more than pumpkin, it’s coffee. While I love a good homemade pumpkin spice latte as much as the next person (it has to be homemade, otherwise, you’re most likely just getting fake flavorings), even I can only drink so many of those before I get tired of them. Put the same amazing flavor in a cupcake though, and you have a whole new level of bliss! I don’t think I could ever get tired of these! Read on for how to make them, then I’m going to let you in on a few secrets to why they’re so amazing (and how to take elevate them to extreme levels of insane goodness). Don’t forget to print out our recipe card for later! These are especially perfect for any Halloween parties you’re planning this year!

Pumpkin Caramel Latte Cupcake Recipe

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Ingredients

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1⅓ C flour
• 2 tsp dark roasted instant coffee
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Pinch of ground cloves
• ¾ C canned pumpkin
• ½ C sugar
• ½ C brown sugar
• ½ C vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, room temp

Frosting Ingredients:

• 1 C unsalted butter, room temp
• 2 C light brown sugar
• ½ C whole milk
• 4 C powdered sugar
• Caramel topping
• Caramel candies

How to Make:

Baking the cupcakes:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line your cupcake pan with paper liners.
• Whisk the flour, instant coffee, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves together.
• Now in another bowl, blend the pumpkin, sugar(both white and brown), and the vegetable oil until thoroughly mixed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Start adding in the flour mixture one half at a time and blending in after each addition.
• Spoon the batter into the lined baking cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 22 minutes. Remove from the oven but allow the cupcakes to cool in the cupcake pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Making the frosting:

• Add the to a medium size saucepan. Melt the butter on medium heat. Add the brown sugar bringing it to a boil while stirring. Slowly pour in the milk continuing to stir until it comes to a boil. Set aside to cool.
• Transfer this mixture to a mixing bowl. Add spoonfuls of powdered sugar to the mixture a little at a time, mixing after each addition. If the frosting is too thin add a tablespoon or two of powdered sugar at a time until it thickens.
• Scoop the frosting into a pastry bag with a #13 size tip. Twist the open end of the pastry bag to push the frosting to the tip. Starting at the outer edge of the cooled cupcake frosting in a circle reaching to the center of the cupcake. Drizzle caramel topping on the frosted cupcake and place a caramel in the center.

Print this pumpkin caramel latte cupcake recipe for later

Don’t they look amazing? They’re not incredibly complicated to make, and you don’t really have to go out of your way to get fancy ingredients. However, there are a few secrets to taking them from delicious to insanely awesome:

• The coffee: surprisingly, since you’re using so little here, it doesn’t really matter if you go with a cheaper brand. Honestly, I love Cafe Bustelo’s instant espresso. It’s inexpensive yet tastes great. So go ahead and scrimp a bit here.
• The cinnamon: this is where you want to splurge. I have this amazing Ceylon cinnamon that I bought a while back. Ceylon cinnamon is more expensive than the typical cassia cinnamon that we usually find in stores, but it’s worth the extra cost. The flavor is just sweeter and richer. Some say that it’s also better for you, too.
• The caramel topping: again, this is a good spot to splurge and go with a decadent, thicker ice-cream topping versus the cheaper stuff you find in the aisle with the chocolate milk mix. I love either Smuckers Caramel Sauce (not syrup) or Ghirardelli.

Looking for more pumpkin goodness? Check out these yummy recipes!

• Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
• 15 Pumpkin Spice Soup Recipes
• Gluten-Free Coconut Flour Pumpkin Bread with Pepitas Recipe

What are some of your favorite fall recipes? Will you try my tips for making this pumpkin caramel latte cupcake recipe even better? Share your thoughts below!