Nothing gives me greater joy than sharing this recipe for Pumpkin Cupcakes with Chai Frosting from my dear friends, Adam and Ryan’s cookbook Husbands That Cook: More Than 120 Irresistible Vegetarian Recipes and Tales from Our Tiny Kitchen.
From the minute I saw these pumpkin cupcakes, I knew that this was the recipe I wanted to share. Not only are they stunning to look at…and I love how they have a little dusting of cinnamon over the tops…but they are absolutely delicious and, my favorite, easy to make!!!
Their gorgeous book has more than 130 recipes including everything from breakfast, soups, salads, mains, sides, cocktails and yes, DESSERTS! Laced throughout our beautiful photos, lots of sweet stories and entertaining tips. I (or course) started with desserts in their book, but I can’t wait to move on to savory. Head over here for more info on their book and here to get your own copy!
Let’s bake some delicious pumpkin cupcakes, shall we?
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Chai Frosting
Makes 18 Cupcakes
INGREDIENTS
For the Cupcakes
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1⁄2 cup (106 g) brown sugar, packed
- 1⁄2 cup (99 g) granulated sugar
- 1⁄3 cup (79 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 10 ounces (284 g) pumpkin purée
- 1⁄3 cup (79 ml) milk of your choice
For the Frosting
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3 cups (340 g) powdered sugar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C, and line 18 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and whisk to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar on medium until fluffy and creamy. With the machine running, add the oil in a slow stream. Once blended, add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition, then the pumpkin purée, and continue beating until smooth. Add half the flour mixture, beat on low to combine, then add the milk and beat again. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat until just combined. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling each one about 3⁄4 full.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 15 to 25 minutes (it took my oven 20 minutes). Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Sift the powdered sugar directly into the bowl, then add all the spices and the vanilla, and beat until smooth and creamy. *I added 1 tablespoon of milk to thin it a wee bit. You decided. :)
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, pipe or spread a generous layer of frosting on top of each one and sprinkle with a pinch of cinnamon. Serve and enjoy!
- Please tag Adam and Ryan @husbandsthatcook #husbandsthatcookbook and me @displacedhousewife #displacedhousewife if you make these awesome cupcakes on social — we would love to see them!! xo
Reprinted with permission from Husbands That Cook by Ryan Alvarez and Adam Merrin, St. Martin’s Griffin 2019.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Chai Frosting
Ingredients
- For the Cupcakes:
- 2 cups 240 g all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ⁄2 teaspoon salt4 tablespoons 57 g
- unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 ⁄2 cup 106 g brown sugar, packed
- 1 ⁄2 cup 99 g granulated sugar
- 1 ⁄3 cup 79 ml vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 10 ounces 284 g pumpkin purée
- 1 ⁄3 cup 79 ml milk of your choice
- For the Frosting:
- 1 cup 226 g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3 cups 340 g powdered sugar
- 1 ⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus more for garnish
- 1 ⁄2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 ⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 ⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ⁄8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- For the Cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C, and line 18 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and whisk to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar on medium until fluffy and creamy. With the machine running, add the oil in a slow stream. Once blended, add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition, then the pumpkin purée, and continue beating until smooth. Add half the flour mixture, beat on low to combine, then add the milk and beat again. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat until just combined. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling each one about 3⁄4 full.Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 15 to 25 minutes (it took my oven 20 minutes). Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the Frosting: In a large mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Sift the powdered sugar directly into the bowl, then add all the spices and the vanilla, and beat until smooth and creamy. *I added 1 tablespoon of milk to thin it a wee bit. You decided. :)
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, pipe or spread a generous layer of frosting on top of each one and sprinkle with a pinch of cinnamon. Serve and enjoy!
GIVEAWAY CLOSED!!!! ❤️❤️❤️
Pumpkin bread – I don’t tire of it, must have every fall!
My favorite thing to bake with is new. My husband was diagnosed with diabetes last year, so he felt left out on the deserts, so I converted most of my recipes to sugar free, starting with a Sugar Free Pumpkin Cheesecake. Even my non diabetic relatives liked it.
Pumpkin gingerbread!!
Pumpkin pie no question… or pumpkin soup if you want something to warm xou up during winter⛄️
I have my father in law’s recipe for pumpkin bread in a coffee can. It is delicious and brings back great memories.
Your Brown Butter Pumpkin Cookies!!! They never last more than a few minutes when I bring them to a party!!
Pumpkin brownies are tasty!
OMG.. pumpkin Mac n Cheese!! A bit less guilt.. still beautiful, creamy and comforting. Kudos to all these fabulous new cookbooks!! Can’t wait to try the chai pumpkin combo. My new indulgence is chai with a shot of espresso.. chai is a warm and wonderful treat. Happy Baking all!
So excited for their book and this recipe looks DELISH!! Can’t wait to make it. XO
I love making pumpkin bread!
Pumpkin bread, or pumpkin pie for sure!
Previous to buying The Cookie Book, I would have said muffins, but I LOVE your pumpkin cookies!
I love baking pumpkin bread and then smearing with pumpkin butter from Trader Joes!
I can’t say I’ve actually baked much with pumpkin aside from pie, but these cupcakes look superb, I will have to give them a try!
Oh, my! Rockin’ moist warm, spicy pumpkin bread with walnuts. Nothing “pumpkin” beats this!
Pumpkin Spice Bars and your Chocolate Pumpkin Swirl Cookies are my favourite!
Anything pumpkin! It just reminds me of fall . But pumpkin crunch cake would be a good one!
Hi!! My favorite thing to bake is Pumpkin Pie. I love baking it and eating it.