Chocolate Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla for about a minute until smooth. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Carefully pour in the hot water and mix—don’t worry, the batter will be very thin, which is what gives these cupcakes their soft, moist texture.

Lightly mist your cupcake liners with nonstick spray. Divide the batter evenly among the liners, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before adding frosting.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Frosting

Start by measuring out exactly ½ cup of pumpkin purée. Level it off with a knife so it’s not heaping. Spread the pumpkin out on a plate, then press it with paper towels to soak up the extra moisture. Keep blotting until it reduces down to ¼ cup (45 g) and the paper towels don’t pick up much liquid anymore. This step is super important—if the pumpkin isn’t dried enough, the frosting will separate. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the softened salted butter with an electric mixer on high speed until it looks pale and fluffy, about 5–10 minutes.

Add the cold cream cheese and mix again until smooth and combined.

Mix in the dried pumpkin purée along with your homemade pumpkin spice blend.

Slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating until everything comes together into a light and fluffy frosting (about 1–2 minutes).