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    Home » Recipes » Vegetable Desserts

    Pumpkin Cupcakes with Avocado Buttercream Icing

    Published: Oct 23, 2015 · Modified: Jun 2, 2020 by Kate Hackworthy · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Jump to 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

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    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
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    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 35 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

    • Lime Avocado Popsicles
    • Sweet Potato Latte
    • Lemon and Cucumber Cake
    • Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    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

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    Kate Hackworthy in the kitchen

    Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. I hope you enjoy my vegetarian and vegan recipes. About Me

    Collage of press logos.

    Popular recipes

    • The BEST Easy Red Lentil Dahl
    • Easy Naan Bread Recipe (yeast-free)
    • Mini Baked Potatoes
    • Easy Lentil Soup

    Healthy Recipes

    • Butternut Squash Salad
    • Easy Healthy Cabbage Soup
    • Easy Vegan Ramen (15 minutes)
    • Rajma Masala (Kidney Bean Curry)

    My cookbook

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

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