The pumpkin cake recipe that just won’t quit! With so many variations possible from one easy recipe
Cranberry Stuffed Pumpkin Cupcakes with white chocolate buttercream icing!
Cranberry and white chocolate go perfect together because white chocolate can be way too sweet for me
So that sweetness gets balanced by the tart cranberries!
And my cranberry compote recipe is always a winner and I make it every year for Thanksgiving
But mostly I like to stuff it into my cakes every chance I get!
Pumpkin cupcakes are made from my best pumpkin cake recipe
Which happens to be a one bowl mix and then 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!
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL YOUTUBE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR HOW TO MAKE THIS CUPCAKE!
For more awesome recipes with cranberry click the links below!
Cranberry Apple Strudel Recipe
Notes for Success:
I am using my American Style Buttercream here but 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 vegan white chocolate 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 and stored in the refrigerator until needed
Candied cranberries makes more than you need but they are so good to snack on and will store in the refrigerator for up to a week and in the freezer for one month
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON RE-WHIPPING BUTTERCREAM
Cranberry Pumpkin Cupcakes
Ingredients
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)
- Salt 1 teaspoon
- All Purpose Flour 1 cup (125g)
- Cake Flour 2 cup (240g)
- 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
- 1 cup Vegan White Chocolate
- 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
Instructions
- 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 3/4 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
Notes
Cranberry Stuffed Pumpkin Cupcakes can be kept at a cool room temperature for 2 days, but may need to be refrigerated to keep the buttercream from getting too soft.
Refrigerate for up to 1 week but bring to room temperature before serving.
3.5.3251
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