Michael’s pumpkin cupcakes recipe

October 21, 2025 | The Victoria | 3 minute read

It is pumpkin season, and nowhere perhaps more so that at Holkham Walled Garden! The team have been growing, tending and displaying the most amazing variety of squashes and pumpkins and we’ve been lucky enough to be given lots for The Vic’s kitchen.

This month Michael has been making delicious pumpkin cupcakes and is delighted to share this recipe with you.

Pumpkin cupcakes with Swiss buttercream frosting (makes 9-12)

Ingredients

175g soft brown sugar
175ml oil
3 eggs
140g grated pumpkin
zest of 1 orange
175g self-raising flour
100g raisins
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
1tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg

150g egg whites
300g caster sugar
400g unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Orange food colouring
Black food colouring

Method

In a mixing bowl combine the sugar, oil and eggs and mix well

Stir in the pumpkin, orange zest and raisins

Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices, then mix into the wet mix

Pour into greased / lined moulds, leaving 1/3 of the space for them to rise while cooking.

Bake at 160 for 30-40 minutes.

When the cupcakes are baked and have cooled down, start to make the frosting

Put the egg whites and caster sugar in a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. Gently stir for a few minutes until you can no longer feel any grains of sugar.

Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed until the mixture becomes meringue-like and has reached stiff peaks, about 3 mins.

Add the butter 1 tbsp at a time, whisking to combine before the next addition. It may look curdled and soupy but be patient and keep whisking until you have a smooth, fluffy buttercream.

Whisk in the vanilla extract.

Separate out tablespoons of buttercream and add few drops of black food colouring to it and mix with a rubber spatula.

And add orange food colouring to the main bowl and continue to mix.

Now it is time to pipe the orange buttercream onto your cupcakes and decorate with spooky faces using the black buttercream.