The best frosting of the pumpkin season has got to be this pumpkin spiced buttercream. Great for cookies, cakes, and donuts.
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Isn't buttercream great!
It's easy to make, doesn't take very many ingredients.
And it's pretty customizable.
It's like a tasty blank canvas that can be enjoyed on it's own but can also be just the beginning.
My case in point - Homemade Pumpkin Buttercream Frosting. Fresh pumpkin (it has better pumpkin flavor than canned) is mixed into the frosting along with your favorite fall spices. It's devine!
Pumpkin fans, let me show you how to make.
Jump to:
🛒 Ingredients
Here is what should be on your shopping list before making this frosting:
- ½ cup fresh pumpkin puree
- 1 stick butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Note on the butter, I normally just use salted butter. A lot of recipes call for unsalted butter, but personally I don't find the salt added to butter is enough to make anything too salty. You are welcome to use either.
I usually skip the vanilla and let the pumpkin and spices shine. If I did use it I would go with about ½ teaspoon.
🧰 Tools
You will need an electric mixer to whip the frosting. I use a simple hand mixer, but you could break out the stand mixer if you want.
I like to mix it in a large bowl, that is wide, so I can really get in there and mix the ingredients together well and quickly. Pick a bowl bigger than you think you will need, so you don't spill any out of the bowl.
If you want you can use a piping bag to apply the frosting to your medium of choice. It will work with this buttercream. More often than not I either just spread it with a rubber spatula right out of the bowl or if I do any piping, reach for a plastic bag that you cut one end out. Cleaning piping bags is not something I enjoy.
📹 Video
Watch this short video on how to make the frosting, then read below for further instructions and tips.
💡 Tips
Here are some tips that will help you make this recipe a success.
- Adding only ½ cup of powdered sugar at a time. Depending on the weather and the moisture content of the pumpkin sometimes you may need more sugar and some times less. So it's been to go slow and see where you are at after every ½ cup.
- Once the frosting looks right, don't keep beating it. You don't want to whip too much air into it.
- Don't skip adding salt, especially if your pumpkin puree has no salt in it. You only need a little bit, but without it the flavor will fall flat.
- Spread the buttercream on your baked goods once they cooled enough. If you put it on too fast, it may cause the butter to melt and your frosting will become a mess.
- Use the best, freshest spices. I avoid pumpkin pie spice and use the individual spices to tailor best to my family's taste (check below for recommendations)
- To make the frosting look orange, use orange gel paste food coloring. If left to its natural color it will look like a light brown like the donut you saw that top of this post.
- If you refrigerate leftovers make sure they are in an airtight container. Foods with fat in them tend to pick up funky odors in the fridge.
- Make sure your leftover buttercream comes to room temperature before trying to frost with it.
🍁 Fall Spices
When it comes to fall baking, the most vital ingredients are your spices. This is the time of year you really want to spring for the good stuff.
For all my fall spice needs, I go with Burlap & Barrel Single Origin Spices. The quality of all the spices I have had from them has been incredible. Since they buy directly from the farmers, there is no middle man, and the spices are sometimes even years fresher than what you are getting at a big grocery store.
Here are the spices I recommend having all fall long:
🍩 What to Use On
Now for inspiration for your frosting....
Other ideas we don't have on the blog yet but would be equally yummy include pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin cake, a filling for a swiss roll, chocolate cupcakes, or apple cider donuts.
Pumpkin Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
- Stand or hand mixer
Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh pumpkin puree
- 1 stick butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- Place the butter in the bowl of your stand mixer or a mixing bowl if using a hand mixer.
- Cream the butter until it's smooth. Then add in the pumpkin. Mix until well combined.
- Add the powdered sugar in ½ cup installments, completely combining before adding the next ½ cup or until the desire consistency you want. Sometimes you may need les, sometimes you may need more.
- Add in the spices and salt and vanilla if you are using. Mix to combine.
- Make sure whatever you spread the frosting on has cooled
- Store leftovers in the fridge, sealed well.
Notes
- Adding only ½ cup of powdered sugar at a time. Depending on the weather and the moisture content of the pumpkin sometimes you may need more sugar and some times less. So it's best to go slow and see where you are at after every ½ cup.
- Once the frosting looks right, don't keep beating it. You don't want to whip too much air into it.
- Don't skip adding salt, especially if your pumpkin puree has no salt in it. You only need a little bit.
- Always cover leftovers well and place in the fridge. Foods with fat in them tend to pick up funky odors in the fridge.
- Make sure your leftover buttercream comes to room temperature before spreading it.
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