Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

Sep 15, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Frostings fillings toppings Origin: Madagascar Vanilla: Extract Easy

Cupcakes piped with pumpkin cream cheese frosting

A tangy, creamy pumpkin cream cheese frosting for cakes and cupcakes. Best with Madagascar vanilla (rich, creamy, classic); any pure vanilla works. Makes about 3 cups; frosts 24 cupcakes or a 9-by-13-inch cake.

Prep 10 min

Cook —

Total 10 min

Yield 24 cupcakes

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

cupcakes

8.0 oz (227.0 g)cream cheese, softened but still cool
½ cup (114.0 g)unsalted butter, softened
3 ½ cups (420.0 g)confectioners' sugar, sifted
⅛ tspfine sea salt
¼ cup (61.0 g)pumpkin puree, blotted with paper towels
2.0 tsp (10.0 ml)VanillaGoods pure vanilla extract

Make it at home

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Instructions

Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth and combined, about 1 minute.
With the mixer on low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar and salt, then the vanilla and pumpkin puree. Beat on medium just until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Don't overbeat, or the frosting turns runny.
If it's too soft to pipe, refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes.

Tips

Use full-fat brick cream cheese; spreadable tub cream cheese makes a runny frosting.
Vanilla swap: use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.
Best vanilla for this: Madagascar (rich, creamy, classic), or Mexican (spiced, warm, woodsy). Any pure vanilla works.
Storage: Refrigerate the frosting and any frosted cake for up to 5 days. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make pumpkin cream cheese frosting?

Plan on 10 minutes of prep. It makes about 3 cups; frosts 24 cupcakes or a 9-by-13-inch cake.

How should I store pumpkin cream cheese frosting?

Refrigerate the frosting and any frosted cake for up to 5 days. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 24 servings this recipe makes.

136 Calories / serving

7.1g Fat

18.3g Carbs

0.6g Protein

17.6g Sugar

Whole recipe (24 servings): ~3264 cal · 170g fat · 439g carbs · 14g protein · 422g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 136 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 26 min·1.5 mi·~3050 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 18 min·0.9 mi·~1800 steps
Moderate cycling 14 min·2.8 mi
Swimming laps 19 min
Jogging 13 min·1.1 mi·~2100 steps
Stair climbing 13 min·~1150 steps
Dancing 22 min
Bodyweight circuit training 14 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 32 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.