cheesecake filled cupcakes Archives ~ Intensive Cake Unit

Want to ‘level up’ your pumpkin cupcakes?

Don’t get me wrong; pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are a classic. And they’re a classic for good reason!

At the same time, sometimes you need a bit of variety or something to spice them up a bit! (Lol no pun intended. :/ )

First, I started with my favorite Pumpkin Cupcake recipe. Next I cored the cupcakes and filled them with a cream cheese and caramel sauce filling (soo good)! Finally, I finished them off with a swirl of cream cheese buttercream frosting and a caramel drizzle and a caramel square!
I think they turned out dang amazing I’ll probably be making them every fall! 😉

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even make your own caramel sauce!
Having personally tried *many* recipes, I doubt there’s a single fool-proof recipe out there. But this recipe from AverieCooks.com gave me the least trouble with burning and crystalizing.

“What should I do with any leftover cupcakes?”

I recommend storing in a cupcake carrier or sealable container. I often put a layer of plastic wrap over the top between the container and lid for a better seal.
Cupcakes will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days as long as they’re protected from drying out.

Recipe below – happy fall baking!

(Disclosure: As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, and my posts often contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you!)

Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake cupcakes pinterest pin

Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cupcakes - caramel cupcake with cream cheese frosting, salted caramel drizzle, and a caramel square on top

Print Recipe

Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake Cupcakes

A leveled-up classic cupcake; make these Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake Cupcakes with caramel cream cheese filling and a caramel drizzle!

Prep Time30

Cook Time18

Decorating time20

Total Time1 8

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake Cupcakes, Pumpkin Caramel Cupcakes, Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 468kcal

Author: Sarah H

Equipment

2 Cupcake pans (24 cups total)
24 Cupcake liners
1 large cookie scoop (optional; but this makes transferring batter much easier!)
1 Cupcake corer (optional; I often just use a plastic knife)
large piping bag + star tip (linked is a set that contains both)

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cupcakes

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon this brand is one of my favorites!
1 ⅓ cups packed dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cups unsalted butter (melted & cooled)
⅔ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramel Cheesecake Cupcake Filling

4 ounces cream cheese (½ package; softened)
4 ounces caramel sauce (this Smuckers caramel sauce is my favorite – or you can even make your own!)

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese (one package; softened)
1 cup butter (two sticks, softened)
5 ½ -6 cups powdered sugar
1-2 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 t. salt (if using unsalted butter)

Decorations

24 caramel squares
¼ cup caramel sauce
White sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350°F, and line cupcake pans with cupcake liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until combined. Set aside.
In a medium bowl or stand mixer, whisk the brown sugar and eggs together until combined. Whisk in the pumpkin, butter, milk, and vanilla until well mixed.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix the batter.
Transfer batter into prepared pans, filling about ½- 2/3 full. (I like to use a large cookie scoop for this part). Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before filling or frosting.

Quick note on caramel sauce –

Caramel sauce can be purchased at any grocery store, or this Salted Caramel Sauce from Smuckers is thicker than most that I’ve found and works best for a cupcake drizzle!
If you want to make your own caramel sauce, my favorite recipe is this one from AverieCooks. No caramel recipe is fool-proof, but this one gave me the least trouble with burning and crystalizing. Whatever you decide to use –

Caramel Cheesecake Cupcake Filling

Beat 4 ounces cream cheese and ½ cup caramel sauce together until combined. (You'll see me use a spatula/whisk in the video; this step would've been *much* more easily done with a hand or stand mixer if I’d thought of that a little sooner!)

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk until frosting reaches a pipeable consistency. Add vanilla and salt if needed and beat until well combined.

Assembly

Once the cupcakes have cooled, core them. (You can use a cupcake corer, the back end of a large piping tip, or….you can do what I do and cut the cores out with a plastic knife. Up to you!) Fill cupcakes with cheesecake filling, using a piping bag or a spoon.

Decorating

Transfer frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe frosting in large swirls onto your cupcakes.
Decorate the top of each frosting swirl with a caramel square, and add a drizzle of caramel sauce. Add sprinkles if desired! (I add sprinkles to everything at every opportunity, but that’s just me. 😉 )
Done and done! Enjoy!