The Story:
Okay, we’ve all done it.
We’ve Googled something because we felt left out or perhaps we just felt really stupid.
Maybe it was the capital of a state (maybe even our own state). The definition of a word that our professor keeps saying and we’re too embarrassed to ask the guy sitting next to us. Maybe it was something political because the closest thing we get to news is our facebook newsfeed. Those commercials can get us too, the Geico one talking about how the ancient pyramids were a mistake…yeah, nice try. Or maybe it’s a hashtag we keep seeing, like #PSL that was EVERYWHERE one day and felt so left out! Pumpkin Spice Latte. Thank you Starbucks, now I’m the cool one with the PSL Cupcake!
Oh Google, what would I do without you and your wisdom?
Ask a lot of really stupid questions out loud.
Yeah, I think I’ll keep the Google.
Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes
Ingredients
Pumpkin Latte Cupcakes:
- 1 box Pillsbury® Perfectly Pumpkin Cake Mix
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 C. melted butter cooled
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 C. milk
- 1/2 C. sour cream
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 C. strong coffee*
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 1/2 C. butter room temperature
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 4-5 C. powdered sugar
Caramel and straws for decoration
- *note: 1/4 C. hot water and 5 tsp. instant coffee granules
Instructions
-
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pans with cupcake liners.
-
2. Sift cake mix into a small bowl with cinnamon and set aside.
-
3. In a large bowl, whisk butter, eggs, milk, sour cream and vanilla extract together until smooth.
-
4. Add cake mix/cinnamon and stir until smooth.
-
5. Stir in coffee (make it as strong as you want your "latte" cupcakes to be).
-
6. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 16-20 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
-
7. Let cool.
-
8. Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter for 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract and slowly add in powdered sugar until thickened.
-
9. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and drizzle with caramel and top with a straw.
-
For another CAKE recipe, see the link below!
I got a bunch of emails from people using the new Pillsbury seasonal cake mixes like this Perfectly Pumpkin and the Caramel Apple cake mix. I decided I just had to jump on board! But if you can’t find the mix but still want to try out this recipe, use my Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cake Mix recipe (I do love Pillsbury mixes the best so use a Pillsbury White Cake Mix).
Some of My Favorite Things:
Cupcake Pan: It has 24 wells and is a shorter pan so no more dark “rings” around your vanilla cupcakes!
Cupcake Scoop: I use either the Yellow or the Blue one! They work GREAT for cookies too!
Wilton 2D Piping Tip: Here’s a major trick with this tip, use a knife to spread the spokes apart just a little bit more so that you don’t get any clogs when piping!
Your Cup of Cake was compensated for this post ©/® The J.M. Smucker Company. Pillsbury is a trademark of The Pillsbury Company, LLC, used under license.
Just a reminder… the Kindle version of my cookbook is just $1.99 on Amazon this week! All cake mix recipes PERFECT for the gluten free baker, just use a gluten free cake mix!
Hi Lizzy! These look amazing, I can’t wait to try them. I’m currently a college student and I’ve made a few of your recipes, ok I lied, a lot of your recipes and I take them to potlucks at work or school or girls night in and everyone loves them and are always asking for more! So thanks to you I’m now the popular kid lol. But I have a question, do you have any dairy free recipes? My best friend is currently breast feeding her 4 month old and recently found out her baby is allergic to a protein contained in dairy so she’s had to change her diet and misses the heck out of cupcakes. I was hoping you could help me out.
So no to milk products. Is she able to eat eggs still?
Yes she can have eggs, just no butter, milk, creamcheese. I did find her a vegan recipe and made it for her but it was pretty blah
Well so much of the taste and moisture comes from the sour cream and buttermilk…. but you can replace any milk with water or juice for other recipes. So… I would say your best bet will be to make pineapple cupcakes with a yellow cake mix. Use pineapple juice and add crushed pineapple! You can sprinkle some brown sugar on the bottom of the liners and then top with just a vanilla buttercream! Or a strawberry buttercream if you want to make it really fruity!
They look so yummy!
Hi Lizzy! Haven’t done a whole lot of baking in a while but you have always been my go-to gal for awesome cupcakes! I had to go gluten free this past summer {insert giant sad sigh here please} which is why I haven’t done much baking. I am attempting one of your recipes today as all I have done so far is tweak a GF box mix on my own. Just a little FYI to others out there trying it also, the Betty Crocker box mixes only make a one layer cake or 12 cupcakes. So in following your recipes and just using this mix I am going to half your ingredients. Wish me luck!!!
Thanks for so many great recipes!!!!
Yes perfect! I have used the gluten free mixes with my recipes and they’re great!
Hey Lizzy got try these — everyone loved the Pumpkin Snickerdoodle so can’t wait to taste the difference ~~ Love my Starbucks too!! Got a question about the drizzle — Caramel?? What did you use ~~ Kraft caramels or ice cream topping….?? Thanks much !!
Ice cream topping! I kept it cold in the fridge and then drizzled it over a little bit, easy, easy!!
Awww, I must admit that I’m a bit addicted to PSLs at Starbucks – so these cupcakes sound fantastic!
omg that’s an AWESOME idea!! yum! 🙂 and that’s a good point about the wilton 2D. whenever i use if for frostings with stuff in it like strawberries, it gets really clogged up. 🙂
Yeah! Even little pieces of cream cheese can clog it, so I always open it up just a little bit more. It still makes a beautiful design!
Hey, Lizzy! These are going on my list of HAVE TO MAKE this season. I have made several of your cupcakes and tweeked them to my families tastes – they are all winners.
I have found that if you bring the cream cheese to room temperature, it blends really well with the butter. I put it in the fridge for a few minutes before piping it on the cupcakes and there are not clumps at all.
Thanks for all the great ideas!!
E
Yes! Sometimes I just don’t remember to take the cream cheese out the night before 🙂
Izzy!! I need cupcakes with turkeys on them. I’ve been waiting for you to do something like that. I bring your cupcakes to bowling every week and I want to bring cute turkeys!
Jen! I don’t have anything in mind. Though I know pinterest is stocked with ideas! Maybe pipe a big dollop of chocolate frosting, then fan out candy corn to look like the tail and use a red M&M for the gobble and make eyes….?
You are so BRILLIANT! This recipe sounds so delicious. I might have to drink a PSL while making these 😉
Hey Lizzy, any chance your cookbook might be put on nook book soon. It would be great to have it .
I’ll talk to my publishers!
I pinned the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread and I can’t wait to make it!
I pinned the Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes!
I made these tonight. They look beautiful! I couldn’t find the right cake mix in my store, so I used a pack of Krusteaz Pumpkin Spice Quick Bread Mix on a whim. They turned out good! I can’t compare to the actual recipe, but this is a possible substitution for those of you out there needing another option like I did. I made them for my husband to bring to work, and I’ll be making another batch this weekend for a shower. The only thing that’s a little weird is that it has pecans in it… so it doesn’t really fit with the latte thing… but still good! Thanks!
Wait…I thought you were Mormon…haha! Mormons don’t drink coffee? 🙂
I am Mormon! And I don’t drink coffee but I still get lots of email requests to make things with coffee in them, so I bake them up and then have friends taste test for me 🙂
Oh, that makes sense. Sorry if I sounded harsh or anything 🙂
Went to Kindle the book is a little over 11 dollars Where is this $1.95 offer??
I’m sorry, that was a special going on for last holiday season!
So if I use the pumpkin snicker doodle recipe, how much coffee do I add? Do I sub it for the milk? Thanks in advance!
I would just use 1/4 cup of coffee but make it as strong as you would like! and then subtract 1/4 C of milk from the recipe
Hi Lizzy, I’ve made a couple of your recipes and they always come out great. I wanted to make this in regular cake form, any suggestions?
Hi Lizzy! I made these for our Youth group (they are all big coffee lovers) and they were a big hit! I have someone that has requested just Pumpkin Spice cupcakes, without the coffee, so I was hoping to just adapt this recipe….what should I substitute for the coffee liquid? More milk? Thanks!
Yes, more milk! I’m not a coffee drinker myself, so that’s what I’ll do when I make these for me 🙂
If I replace the pumpkin cake mix with your pumpkin snickerdoodle recipe, do I still need the additional ingredients? (Sour cream, melted butter, etc.) thank you!!
We just threw a Starbucks themed bridal shower for my daughter yesterday. I supplied the cupcakes. I made mocha latte cupcakes and your amazing pumpkin spice latte cupcakes. I couldn’t find the pumpkin cake mix so I made them with your pumpkin snickerdoodle recipe instead (using the spice cake mix). I switched out the cream cheese frosting with the espresso buttercream I was using on the mocha latte cupcakes. They were the hit of the party. This is the second function I have used one of your cupcakes at and they always are a hit. Thank you so much for your delicious, yet high wow factor, recipes.
Can I use regular coffee instead the granulated one?! (I don’t have granulate on hand and I don’t want to get a bottle just for 3 spoons of coffee!) please help 🙂
Do I still add the oil from the cake box directions or no?
Can i use coffee brewed at home? Or is it different from what the recipe calls for?
The cupcake recipe is so delicious! I loved it. The frosting is very good too.
My frosting was not as stiff as your photos. I stuck the mixing bowl and attachment in the freezer for a few minutes. I followed the directions. I used 4 cups of powdered sugar. Any suggestions on how to get the frosting to be less runny? I don’t really want to add any more sugar since it tastes great as it is.
Hi Lizzy, How many cupcakes does 1 box of pills bury make?
Good article. I absolutely love this website.
Thanks!