• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Veggie Desserts
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Vegan Recipes
    • Vegan Cake and Desserts
    • Vegan Dinner
    • Vegan Breakfast
    • Vegan Guides
  • Cookbook
    • About My Cookbook
    • Buy Veggie Desserts + Cakes
  • About Me
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Work With Me
    • Press
    • Newsletter
  • Subscribe
  • Instagram Posts
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Vegetarian Recipes
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • About Me
  • Cookbook
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Vegetarian Recipes
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • About Me
  • Cookbook
×
Home » Recipes » Vegetable Desserts

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Avocado Buttercream Icing

Published: Oct 23, 2015 · Modified: Jun 2, 2020 by Kate Hackworthy · 17 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

These pumpkin cupcakes are a great way to use up pumpkin flesh. You can even use the stringy guts from the inside of a carving pumpkin! I've topped them with a ghoulish green avocado frosting.

A cupcake with a lit jack o\'lantern in the background.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

These cupcakes make use of the stringy pumpkin 'guts' or pulp left over from carving the Halloween pumpkin. I'm nearly as obsessed by reducing food waste as I am with creating vegetable cakes.

I write a monthly column about using up food, called Taste Not Waste, for Vegetarian Living magazine, and I'm always looking at ways to reduce the amount of food that hits my compost bin.

So, I just had to do something with all of the stringy, gooey innards of our Halloween pumpkin.

The kids had a great time picking out the seeds (to roast later) before I pureed the raw pulp for this recipe.

I had a slightly less enjoyable time picking rogue pumpkin guts off of the floor, out of their hair and from their jumpers. Nothing to do with the pureeing - everything to do with my very excitable kids.

Lightly spiced, these pumpkin cakes are topped with a ghoulishly green avocado icing - a slightly healthier take on buttercream.

 

A table with a pumpkin and a bowl of pumpkin innards.

Pumpkin Guts

You can make your own pumpkin puree by scraping out the flesh and stringy insides of the pumpkin. Then simply puree with a hand blender!

Of course you don't want to use an old carved pumpkin, but when you're carving it, you can make puree!

I use a spoon to scrape lots of the flesh, then pull out the stringy bits. Be sure to save the seeds to roast in the oven for a tasty snack.
 

Two cupcakes in front of a carved pumpkin.

 

Try some of my other pumpkin recipes:

PSL - Pumpkin Spice Latte with Pumpkin Seed Milk (vegan)

Winter-spiced Pumpkin Cocktail

Pumpkin and Spice Dark Chocolate Bark

Pumpkin Donuts

 

Get the Pumpkin Cupcakes Recipe

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out for you!
Leave a comment and star rating below and share a picture with the hashtag #veggiedesserts. I love seeing your recreations of my vegetarian and vegan recipes and cakes.

Thanks for checking out my recipe! I love hearing from my readers. You all allow me to do what I love and write this UK food blog, sharing vegetarian and vegan recipes, vegetable cake recipes, vegan cake and also easy vegan desserts.
Kate x

Follow me on Instagram * Twitter * Facebook * Pinterest * Youtube

📖 Recipe

PUMPKIN CUPCAKES WITH AVOCADO BUTTERCREAM ICING

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Avocado Buttercream Icing

Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts
Lightly spiced pumpkin cupcakes topped with a ghoulishly green avocado frosting! A great way to use up the stringy innards of carving pumpkins.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
SaveSaved!
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 264 kcal

Ingredients
 

For the cupcakes

  • ½ cup (150g) pumpkin puree (store bought or remove the seeds and puree the stringy innards of a pumpkin)
  • 2 ¾ cups (350g) plain flour (all purpose)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon allspice
  • ⅓ cup ⅓ cup (80g) butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (100ml) milk

For the icing

  • 1 avocado
  • ½ teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2 cups (250g) powdered icing sugar

Instructions
 

For the cupcakes

  • Preheat oven to 170C/325F. Line a muffin tray with baking cases.
  • Puree either cooked pumpkin, the raw insides of a carving pumpkin (remove seeds) or use tinned pumpkin puree. Set aside.
  • Stir together the flour, baking powder, bicarb of soda, salt and spices.
  • Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time and them beat in the pumpkin and vanilla.
  • Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk into the wet mixture, in thirds.
  • Spoon the batter into the muffin cases ¾ full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

For the icing

  • Puree the avocado flesh with a hand held blender until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice.
  • Sift the icing sugar, a bit at a time and blend until thick. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Notes

Nutritional facts are a guideline only and will be affected by different brands used. 

Nutrition

Calories: 264kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 5gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 206mgPotassium: 257mgFiber: 2gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 1827IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 2mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts! I love seeing your recreations.

More Vegetable Dessert Recipes

  • Side view of a sweet Spinach Muffin recipe with chocolate chips, with some chocolate in front
    Spinach Muffins with Chocolate Chips
  • Wooden table with chocolate chip butternut squash cake cut into squares on parchment paper.
    Chocolate Chunk Butternut Squash Cake
  • Baked pumpkin donuts with chocolate glaze on baking paper on a table.
    Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Chocolate Glaze
  • A square of vegan zucchini brownies on a piece of baking paper on a wooden table, next to courgettes and pecans.
    Fudgy Vegan Zucchini Brownies
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Email

Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 2 votes

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Stuart Vettese

    November 04, 2015 at 8:12 pm

    LOVE the idea of avocado buttercream Kate - you really are a veggie genius! Thanks for taking part in Treat Petite x

    Reply
  2. Kat

    November 01, 2015 at 10:17 pm

    What a brilliant way of using up pumpkin 'guts'! Thanks for entering into Treat Petite!

    Reply
  3. kneadwhine

    October 30, 2015 at 9:43 pm

    I am really intrigued by this recipe - avocado is one of my favourites and I'm so curious to give this a try.

    Thanks for linking my recipe.

    Reply
  4. Helen

    October 28, 2015 at 3:22 am

    I'm looking for Halloween recipes idea. Thanks for sharing, I will make this for my son.

    Reply
  5. Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche

    October 26, 2015 at 11:31 pm

    5 stars
    Brilliant idea, I never know what to do with all the pulp once I've picked out the seeds. Great to know you can harness its nutrients in such a yummy way 🙂

    Reply
  6. Sophie (@S_LovesFood)

    October 26, 2015 at 11:05 pm

    Love the idea of using avocado in the buttercream. Sounds great. Thanks for linking my recipe 🙂

    Reply
  7. choclette

    October 26, 2015 at 8:09 pm

    Ah just brilliant Kate. I hate throwing any food away and always try and make the most out of veg. Great ghoulish buttercream 😉

    Reply
  8. Fuss Free Helen

    October 26, 2015 at 3:35 pm

    A great use of the pumpkin guts! Thanks for linking up to #creditcrunchmunch

    Reply
  9. Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy

    October 26, 2015 at 2:57 pm

    What a great way to use up the insides of the pumpkin. I just love avocado buttercream too.

    Reply
  10. Elizabeth

    October 25, 2015 at 6:01 am

    What a fantastic idea! Love the sound of that avocado frosting too.

    Reply
  11. Camilla

    October 24, 2015 at 11:03 pm

    Love these ghoulish cakes, a great way to cut down on food waste too! Thanks for entering #CreditCrunchMunch with them;-)

    Reply
  12. Kavey

    October 24, 2015 at 9:30 pm

    These look adorable and I've already crossed the mental barrier of avocado in sweet things when I made avocado ice cream a few years ago!

    Reply
  13. Michaela ~ An Affair from the Heart

    May 23, 2014 at 4:05 am

    Love baking with pumpkin!

    Reply
    • Kate Hackworthy

      May 23, 2014 at 3:59 pm

      So do it. So versatile and tasty!

      Reply
  14. Vohn McGuinness

    May 05, 2014 at 11:40 pm

    I love the sound of that buttercream! Avocados are so amazing! x

    Reply
  15. Kate Veggie Desserts

    November 01, 2013 at 8:28 am

    Thanks, Lou! Have a lovely weekend yourself. x

    Reply
  16. Lou

    November 01, 2013 at 7:25 am

    Usually, not thinking about it, I throw away pumpkin guts.
    But let's face it there's a lot and why not use it?
    Thank you very mch for this recipe, as always...you are amazing!
    Have a lovely weekend 🙂
    Lou

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Kate Hackworthy in the kitchen

Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. Here you'll find vegetarian recipes and vegan recipes celebrating vegetables, from dinner to dessert! If you love vegetables, you've come to the right place. About Me

Collage of press logos that Veggie Desserts has appeared in, including The Guardian, Marie Claire, Vancouver Sun, The Globe and Mail, Seattle Times and The Sunday Telegraph.

Popular recipes

  • Stack of naan breads on a plate.
    Easy Naan Bread Recipe (15 Min Yeast-Free Flatbread)
  • Close up of a plate of red lentil dahl with rice and spinach.
    The BEST Easy Red Lentil Dahl
  • A jar of quick, easy and tasty raspberry compote, with a spoonful of it next to a blue and white tea towel.
    Quick Raspberry Compote Recipe
  • Bowl of stewed pears with a serving spoon and a cinnamon stick.
    Easy Stewed Pears Recipe

Vegetable Cake Recipes

  • A cake and a piece of cake sitting on top of a table.
    Apple Kale Cake with Apple Icing
  • Close up of cut loaf cake.
    Parsnip Loaf Cake
  • Cake on a cake stand with slices missing
    Vanilla Spinach Cake
  • A slice of lemon cucumber cake on a plate.
    Lemon and Cucumber Cake

My cookbook

Veggie Desserts and Cakes Cookbook cover.

Check out my Veggie Desserts Cookbook, full of tasty desserts with vegetables!

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About me
  • Contact
  • Work with me
  • Press
  • Veggie Desserts Cookbook

Newsletter

  • Sign Up for newsletter updates

Partner Sites

  • You Say Potatoes

Disclaimers

  • Disclosures & Affiliate Policies
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility Policy

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Kate Hackworthy / Veggie Desserts

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This recipe worked out perfectly!
The whole family loved this recipe!
Easy and tasty!
I'm sure we'll be making this recipe again and again!

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.