It is pumpkin time! My favorite time of the year. I LOVE pumpkin spice anything. I decided it was time to make pumpkin spice cupcakes using pumpkin puree.

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If you use canned pumpkin, make sure it is 100% pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. đŸ™‚

I make my cupcakes in two batches. I first make the bottoms, then make the tops. Make the tops while the bottoms are still wet or you might have problems with the tops adhering. If you make them on different days, you can try scratching the bottoms with a fork and then piping. This might help.

If you’d like to learn more about piping soap, check out our eCourse Piping Perfection!

This recipe makes 8 cupcakes.

Cupcake Bottoms

Base Oils

  • Cocoa Butter – 60 grams (15%)
  • Coconut Oil – 120 grams (30%)
  • Annatto Infused Olive Oil – 160 grams (40%)
  • Rice Bran Oil – 40 grams (10%)
  • Castor Oil – 20 grams (5%)

Lye Solution

  • Sodium Hydroxide – 56 grams
  • Water – 84 grams

Additives

  • Pumpkin Puree – 28 grams (add to oils)

Essential Oil Blend

  • Sweet Orange Essential Oil – 12 grams
  • Vanilla Oleoresin (or Peru Balsam Essential Oil) – 2 grams
  • Cassia Essential Oil (or Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil) – 1 gram

Or you could use your favorite pumpkin fragrance oil! đŸ™‚

This is similar to the Miles Davis blend from Benjamin’s book, Essential Oil Blends for Men.

Cupcake Tops

Base Oils

  • Cocoa Butter – 60 grams (15%)
  • Coconut Oil – 120 grams (30%)
  • Olive Oil – 160 grams (40%)
  • Rice Bran Oil – 40 grams (10%)
  • Castor Oil – 20 grams (5%)

Lye Solution

  • Sodium Hydroxide – 56 grams
  • Water – 112 grams

Additives

  • Ground Pumpkin Seeds – 1/8 teaspoon
  • Cinnamon – 1/8 teaspoon

I left my tops unscented because I didn’t want to mess with the color. You can add scent or do the same.

If you are new to soapmaking, please download our FREE soapmaking guide! Be sure to wear goggles and gloves for safety!

Cupcake Bottom Directions

Step 1: Make your annatto infusion. You can do it same day or do it a day or so ahead of time.

Step 2: Create your lye solution. Weigh out the sodium hydroxide and water into two separate containers.

Notice how the water amount for the bottoms is less than the water amount for the tops? We are adding pumpkin puree to the bottoms and this counts as part of our water.

Slowly sprinkle the sodium hydroxide into the water while stirring. Be sure to stir in a well-ventilated area and wear your safety goggles and gloves. Set your lye solution aside to cool down.

Step 3: Prepare your oils. When working with cocoa butter I always melt it first by itself. It has such a high-melt point and requires a TON of heat to melt. I don’t want all of my oils exposed to that much heat, requiring them to cool down before I can soap. I melt the cocoa butter and then add the coconut oil. Stir to melt the coconut oil into the melted cocoa butter. If you need to heat it a bit more to completely melt the coconut oil, then heat a bit.

Step 4: Add the liquid oils to the melted coconut oil/cocoa butter. Stir.

Step 5: Add the essential oil (or fragrance oil) to the oils. Add your pumpkin puree.

Check your temperatures.

Take the temps of both the lye solution and oil mixture. I like to mix when they are both anywhere from 80-95 degrees F.

Step 6: Once your temperatures are in range, pour your lye solution into the oils and bring your soap to trace.

Step 7: Pour your soap into cupcake bottoms.

Start making your tops!

Step 1: Create your lye solution. Weigh out the sodium hydroxide and water into two separate containers.

Slowly sprinkle the sodium hydroxide into the water while stirring. Be sure to stir in a well-ventilated area and wear your safety goggles and gloves. Set your lye solution aside to cool down.

Step 2: Prepare your oils. When working with cocoa butter I always melt it first by itself. It has such a high-melt point and requires a TON of heat to melt. I don’t want all of my oils exposed to that much heat, requiring them to cool down before I can soap. I melt the cocoa butter and then add the coconut oil. Stir to melt the coconut oil into the melted cocoa butter. If you need to heat it a bit more to completely melt the coconut oil, then heat a bit.

Step 3: Add the liquid oils to the melted coconut oil/cocoa butter. Stir.

Step 4: Add the ground pumpkin seeds and cinnamon to the oils.

Check your temperatures.

Take the temps of both the lye solution and oil mixture. I like to mix when they are both anywhere from 80-95 degrees F.

Step 5: Once your temperatures are in range, pour your lye solution into the oils and bring your soap to trace.

Step 6: Get your piping bag ready. I used a Wilton #1A Round tip. Cut the tip off your bag and place the tip inside as shown.

Step 7: Bring your soap to thick trace. And then let it sit a bit until it gets super firm and can hold it’s shape as shown below.

Step 8: Fill your piping bag with the soap. Fold down the top so that you can better fill the bag without getting it too messy.

Step 9: Pipe your cupcakes! If you need help learning how to pipe different cupcake tops, check out our eCourse Piping Perfection!

Start on the outside of your cupcake and pipe moving to the inside. If you don’t like what you just piped, simply scrape it off and try again. đŸ™‚

I then topped with a bit of cinnamon.

Let them sit for 24 hours and then unmold!

Let cure for 4-6 weeks.

Happy Cupcake Soapmaking!

-Amanda