I just can’t stop making this pumpkin cake recipe!
If you have tried it you will understand because it is just too good!
So many variations are possible from one easy recipe
Cranberry Stuffed Pumpkin Cupcakes with white chocolate buttercream icing!
Three easy recipes and a quick batch of candied cranberries for garnish
My cranberry compote is always a winner and I make it every year for Thanksgiving
cranberry sauce
But mostly I like to stuff it into my cakes every chance I get!
Cranberry and white chocolate go perfect together because white chocolate can be way too sweet for me
But it gets balanced with the tart cranberries!
The pumpkin cupcakes are made from my best pumpkin cake recipe
Which happens to be a one bowl mix
White chocolate is added to the buttercream recipe at the last stage of mixing
The candied cranberries and rosemary garnish are optional but so pretty and completely edible too!
A quick stuffing of that compote and then ice them up!
You have yourself a winning cupcake combo here!
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL YOUTUBE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR HOW TO MAKE THIS CUPCAKE!
For more awesome recipes with cranberry click the links below!
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- Cranberry Mocha Fudge Cupcakes
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- White Chocolate Cranberry Cake
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- Cranberry Mocha Cupcakes
Cranberry Mocha Fudge Brownies
White Chocolate Cranberry Cake
Cranberry Cupcakes with Mocha Buttercream
Notes for Success:
I am using my American Style Buttercream here
Because I am adding in the white chocolate I took out approximately 1½ cups of the confectioners sugar so it wouldn’t be so intensely sweet
You can use any buttercream recipe you like the best and adjust the addition of white chocoalte according to your taste
Just be sure to add it in cooled at the last stage of mixing
The cranberry compote can be made up to a week ahead of time
Pumpkin cupcakes can be baked ahead and kept refrigerated for up to 2 days
Buttercream can be prepared ahead and rewhipped when you are ready to ice
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON RE-WHIPPING BUTTERCREAM
- For the Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Vegetable Oil 12 Tablespoons (180ml)
- Light Brown Sugar 1 cup (210g)
- Plant Milk *I use soy 1½ cup (354ml)
- Vinegar 2 teaspoons (10ml)
- Canned Pumpkin 1 cup (250g) *see notes for homemade puree in the article above the recipe
- Salt 1 teaspoon
- All Purpose Flour 1 cup (125g)
- Cake Flour 2 cup (240g) *see notes in text above the recipe box
- Baking Soda 2 teaspoon
- Ground Cinnamon 1 teaspoon
- Ground Ginger 1 teaspoon
- Ground Cardamom ½ teaspoon
- Ground Cloves pinch
- Ground Nutmeg ¼ teaspoon
- OR 3 Teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
- For the Cranberry Compote
- 1 -16ounce Bag Cranberries (fresh or frozen) (454g)
- Granulated Sugar 1½ cup (300g)
- Cranberry Juice or Cranberry Moscato Wine or White Wine 1 cup (237ml)
- Vanilla Extract 2 teaspoons
- Star Anise Pods 4
- Cinnamon 1 teaspoon
- Orange Zest and Juice from 1 large orange
- For the White Chocolate Buttercream
- 1 Recipe your favorite buttercream recipe *I am using theAmerican style buttercreamwith 1½ cups of confectioners sugar REMOVED
- 1 cup White chocolate melted & cooled
- For the Candied Cranberries & Rosemary *optional
- ¾ cup water
- ¾ cup sugar + additional sugar for tossing them
- 2 cups cranberries
- Springs of rosemary as needed *washed and picked of the best sprigs
- First prepare the cake batter
- Preheat your oven to 350°F
- Line your cupcake pan with paper liners
- Combine the vinegar with the soy milk (soy milk is the only milk that will thicken with vinegar, but you can use another plant milk of your choice)
- In a large mixing bowl combine the oil, brown sugar, salt, pumpkin, and then the thickened vinegar/plant milk and whisk to combine well
- Sift the flour with all the spices and the baking soda and add it all at once to the wet mixture in the bowl
- Whisk smooth
- Scoop into your cupcake pans filling ¾ full
- Bake immediately in the preheated 350°F oven for approximately 25-30 minutes or when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
- Cool while you prepare the cranberry compote
- In a heavy bottom sauce pot, combine all the liquids with the sugar and spices and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Squeeze in the juice of that orange and the zest
- Add the cranberries and then return to a boil.
- Lower the temperature to a simmer for 15 -20 minutes, the sauce will begin to thicken and the berries will begin to pop.
- Discard the anise pods and add the vanilla extract, then with a stick blender (or carefully transfer to a regular blender) puree to desired consistency. I like to leave my chunky.
- Next prepare the buttercream recipe of your choice & at the last stage of mixing add in the melted & cooled white chocolate whip smooth
- Prepare the candied cranberries & rosemary by combing the sugar & water together in a medium sauce pot and bring to a boil, boil for 3 minutes them remove from the heat
- Add the cranberries & rosemary and leave them in for about 5 minutes to steep
- Drain and then toss the cranberries & rosemary in a bowl of sugar then shake off the excess and place on a parchment lined sheet pan to dry for about an hour or overnight
- Hollow out the cooled cupcakes and fill them up with cooled cranberry compote
- Ice with white chocolate buttercream and garnish with candied cranberries and rosemary
Refrigerate for up to 1 week but bring to room temperature before serving.
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Pure Heaven! Just baked your wonderful Pumpkin cupcakes ! I got 22 cupcakes out of the recipe…. Thank you for your delicious vegan dessert creations!
Sorry, I forget to put the stars…
Hi, is it possible to substitute cake flour? I could find a sage one for us. Thank you!
I meant …safe one…
Thanks!
Yes you can use all ~all purpose flour
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe! It is baked and cooling down. Looks perfect!
YAY! thanks for the comment! I’m so glad you love it!!
I made these for Thanksgiving today and just taste tested and they are sooooooo good. Thank you, Gretchen!
Hi, Gretchen! I’m planning to make these for a bake sale and I’m excited to give them a try. I love making and eating your Swiss meringue buttercream (it’s so silky and the perfect sweetness), so I’d like to use that. Can I still reduce the sugar when adding the white chocolate? Can I melt the white chocolate in place of the sugar in the aquafaba mixture at the beginning? Thanks!
Awesome! You can reduce the confectioners sugar as much as you like, the sugar for the Swiss meringue needs to stay the same
How do you store the candied cranberries and how long will they last? Thanks!
I store mine in the freezer for like a month, on the thaw though, the sugar will melt slightly so I just toss them into a fresh bowl of sugar