Copycat Hostess Pumpkin Cupcakes
Get ready to fall in love with these copycat Pumpkin Hostess Cupcakes! Perfectly spiced, moist, and filled with a delicious marshmallow filling, these cupcakes capture all the nostalgic goodness of the original Hostess treat but with a cozy homemade twist. These delicious cupcakes are topped with sweet icing and signature swirls and are the perfect treat for the fall season.
How to Make Copycat Pumpkin Hostess Cupcakes
These copycat Pumpkin Hostess Cupcakes is easy to make and come together quickly. The best part is that while your cupcakes bake you can get the filling and icing prepared so as soon as the cupcakes have cooled, you can get right to decorating. Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and prepare your cupcake pan by greasing it lightly. Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl, and in another, whisk together the wet ingredients, including pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla extract. Combine the wet and dry ingredients until smooth, and then fill your cupcake pan ¾ full with batter. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Flatten the tops slightly if they dome, and let them cool completely before filling and decorating.
How To Make Moist Cupcakes
The secret to moist pumpkin cupcakes lies in the perfect balance of ingredients. Using pumpkin puree adds moisture and richness to the batter, while the combination of oil and eggs ensures the cupcakes are tender and soft. Additionally, using light brown sugar instead of granulated sugar contributes to the moist texture, as brown sugar contains molasses that adds extra moisture.
Recipe Tips
Flattening the Tops: If your cupcakes dome while baking, use the bottom of a cookie sheet to gently press them flat right after they come out of the oven.
Consistent Icing: For smooth icing that doesn’t run, add milk gradually and check the consistency before applying it to the cupcakes.
Filling the Cupcakes: To avoid overfilling, insert the piping bag just halfway into the cupcake and fill gently.
What is Pumpkin Pie Spice
Pumpkin pie spice is a blend of warm spices typically used in pumpkin-based recipes. It usually contains cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves. This spice mix adds the signature fall flavor to your cupcakes, making them taste like pumpkin pie in cake form. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can make your own by mixing these individual spices in the right proportions.
How To Store Copycat Hostess Pumpkin Cupcakes
To keep your copycat Pumpkin Hostess Cupcakes fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want to keep them longer, you can refrigerate them for up to a week. For extended storage, freeze the cupcakes (without the filling and icing) for up to 3 months.
More Copycat Recipes Like Hostess Pumpkin Cupcakes
Copycat Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs
Copycat Tagalong Cookies
Copycat Drakes Coffee Cakes
Copycat Zebra Cakes
Copycat Nutter Butter Cookies
Copycat Hostess Cupcakes
Copycat Kudos Granola Bars
Copycat Philadelphia Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
Copycat Hostess Pumpkin Cupcakes
Join my creative baking community! In depth courses, direct access to me, and more 🤎 Click here to join!
12
servings20
minutes25
minutesKeep the screen of your device on.
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
- Filling
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 cups marshmallow fluff
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
- Icing
1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 – 2 Tbsp. milk
1-2 drop orange food gel
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a cupcake pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
- In a separate, large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and vegetable oil. Add in the pumpkin puree and continue to whisk.
- Add the eggs in one at a time mixing between each addition. Add in the vanilla.
- Once all of the liquid ingredients are evenly combined, add the dry ingredients in then whisk until smooth. Be sure to use a silicone spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that everything is combined nicely.
- Scoop and fill the prepared cupcake pan 3/4 of the way full with batter. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If the cupcakes developed a domed top while baking, use the bottom of a cookie sheet on top of the cupcake pan to flatten them slightly while they’re still hot out of the oven then transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Filling
- To make the filling, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and confectioner’s sugar together until smooth. Add in the marshmallow fluff and continue to mix until combined.
- Add the salt and vanilla to the filling mixture. Once this is smooth and mixed evenly, cover with a damp rag then set aside.
- Icing
- To make the icing, mix the confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, and milk one tablespoon at a time until smooth. You don’t want the icing to be too thin or else it will run over the sides and be too transparent on top of the cupcake. It should be thick enough to spread but still be able to settle nicely. Remove about 2 tablespoons of icing and add about 1/2 Tbsp. of confectioner’s sugar and a few drops of orange food gel. This thicker, orange icing will be used to pipe the loops so it should be thicker than the uncolored consistency.
- Assembling & Decorating
- Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, scoop the filling into a piping bag then insert the piping bag into the center of each cupcake and slowly and gently squeeze the filling into each cupcake. Do not poke the piping bag all the way to the bottom of the cupcake or the filling will squeeze out the bottom.
- Use a butter knife or offset spatula to scrape the excess filling from the top of the cupcake so that it has a flat surface.
- Use another butter knife or offset spatula to spread the uncolored icing on top of each cupcake. If you find that the icing is spreading too much, add more confectioner’s sugar to the mixture.
- Repeat this process for each cupcake then allow the icing to set for about 15 minutes then use the orange icing in a piping bag to pipe a line of swirls on top. Repeat the swirls for each cupcake.
- Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe?
I love seeing what you bake on socials! Just tag @thesqueakymixer
