These 2-ingredient pumpkin muffins need nothing but a box of spice cake mix and a can of pumpkin. No eggs, no oil, no butter, and about 5 minutes of prep before they go in the oven. It’s the easiest pumpkin recipe I make all fall!
More Easy Pumpkin Breads and Muffins:
Before You Get Started
Two ingredients doesn’t leave much room for error! Here’s what matters most before you start:
- Skip the box directions. Don’t add the eggs, oil, or water listed on the package. The pumpkin replaces all of it, and anything extra leaves the batter too wet to set.
- Use the whole can of pumpkin. One 15-ounce can to one 15.25-ounce box of cake mix. The full can is what stands in for the eggs and oil, so don’t measure out less.
- Spray the paper liners. There’s no fat in this batter, so the muffins grab onto bare liners and tear when you peel them. A quick spritz of nonstick spray keeps them whole.
Which Cake Mix Works Best
Spice cake mix is my pick, and it’s what I use every time. The warm spices are already blended in, so you don’t have to measure out cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg separately.
Yellow and white cake mix both work, but they have no spice of their own. Add 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice to the dry mix before you stir in the pumpkin, or the muffins will taste flat. Chocolate cake mix is a fun one for kids, and it doesn’t need any added spice.
⇢ Any 15.25-ounce box will do. Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker both work well here, and store brands are fine too. If you like this combination, my Pumpkin Cake with Yellow Cake Mix uses the same trick in a 9×13 pan.
These were delicious! Thanks so much for this easy recipe. I experimented a bit and added some chopped up pecans and that was delicious as well. I now have an easy, quick go to last minute healthier treat when my grandsons pop in.
– Linda
How to Make Pumpkin Muffins with Cake Mix
I can’t take credit for this one! Hacking a boxed cake mix this way has been around for years, and my boys have been eating these since Aunt Bee taught me the recipe when they were toddlers. Here’s how it comes together:
Step 1: Heat the Oven and Prep the Pan
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray, or line it with paper cups and give those a light spritz too.
Step 2: Stir the Batter Together
Add the canned pumpkin and the dry cake mix to a large bowl, then fold them together with a spatula until they’re mostly combined. This way you don’t send dry cake mix flying all over the kitchen (and into your face) when you turn on an electric mixer!
Switch to an electric mixer and beat for about a minute.
The batter will be much thicker than a normal muffin batter, closer to a soft cookie dough. That’s what you get without eggs or oil, so don’t add liquid to thin it out. You can mix it entirely by hand if you’d rather, it just takes some elbow grease.
This is also the point to stir in any add-ins: Chocolate chips, chopped pecans or walnuts, raisins, and fresh or dried cranberries all work well. A cup or two is plenty.
⇢ Add an egg for a lighter muffin. Without eggs or oil, these bake up dense and moist, closer to pumpkin bread than a bakery-style muffin. If you want a fluffier crumb, beat one egg in with the pumpkin.
Step 3: Fill the Muffin Cups
Use a cookie scoop or an ice cream scoop to divide the batter evenly among the 12 cups. The batter is fairly sticky, so a scoop saves a lot of frustration here. Fill each cup about three quarters full.
For those crunchy, bakery-style tops, I like to add a generous sprinkle of sparkling sugar to the top of each muffin at this point (it’s optional, though!).
⇢ Mini muffins take about half the time. The same batch makes roughly 30 minis. Bake those for 8 to 10 minutes and start checking early, since they go from done to dry quickly.
Step 4: Bake and Cool
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the tops spring back and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. These should dome, rise a mile high, and crack the way a standard muffin does!
Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. They firm up as they cool, so give them a few minutes before you dig in.
⇢ Turn them into cupcakes: Let the muffins cool completely, then top each one with a swirl of cream cheese frosting. My Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting use the same pairing if you want to see how it comes together.
Storage
To Store: Keep the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. They have more moisture than a typical muffin, so the fridge is the safer choice past day two.
To Freeze: Cool the muffins completely, then wrap tightly or store in an airtight container or zip-top bag in the freezer for up to 2 months.
To Reheat: Thaw frozen muffins on the counter overnight. Warm individual muffins in the microwave for 5 to 20 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my pumpkin muffins dense?
That’s mostly how this recipe bakes. With no eggs, oil, or butter, there’s nothing to lighten the crumb, so these come out moist and dense, more like a slice of pumpkin bread than a bakery muffin.
Beating the batter with an electric mixer for a full minute works some air in and helps. For a noticeably fluffier muffin, add one egg with the pumpkin.
Can I bake this batter as a cake or a loaf instead?
Yes, and plenty of readers do. Spread it in a greased 9×13 pan or a standard loaf pan instead of the muffin tin. It won’t rise as high as a cake made with the full box directions, so expect something closer to a dense snack cake. Start checking a 9×13 around 25 minutes and a loaf around 45, and pull it when a toothpick comes out clean.
Can I use homemade pumpkin puree?
You can, but homemade puree usually holds more water than canned. Drain it in a fine mesh strainer or press it between paper towels first, then measure out about 1 3/4 cups to match a 15-ounce can. If you skip that step, the batter turns loose and the centers sink instead of setting.
Yumm “O”, what a hit. Easy to make and quick, and Gluten Free in my case. It worked beautifully. Thank you for thinking outside the Cake box!
– Mary
More Pumpkin Recipes to Try This Fall
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Pumpkin Muffins with Cake Mix
Ingredients
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree (plain pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 (15.25 ounce) box spice cake mix
Instructions
- Prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray, or line with paper cups and spritz the liners with nonstick spray.
- Fold the batter: In a large bowl, use a spatula to fold together the pumpkin and the dry cake mix. Do not add the eggs, oil, or water listed on the box.
- Beat until smooth: Use an electric mixer to beat the batter for about 1 minute, until it's fluffy and completely combined. The batter will be thick. You can mix by hand instead, it just takes longer.
- Fill the cups: Use a scoop to divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about three quarters full.
- Optional coarse sugar: For crunchy, bakery-style tops, sprinkle a generous amount (about 1 teaspoon) of sparkling sugar on top of each muffin.
- Bake: Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Cake mix options: Spice cake mix needs nothing extra. With yellow or white cake mix, add 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice to the dry mix first.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 12 standard muffins or about 30 mini muffins. For minis, reduce the baking time to 8 to 10 minutes.
- For a lighter texture: Beat in 1 egg along with the pumpkin. The muffins will rise a bit more and have a fluffier crumb.
- Add-ins: Stir 1 to 2 cups of chocolate chips, chopped pecans or walnuts, raisins, or fresh cranberries into the batter. Sparkling sugar sprinkled on top before baking gives them a bakery-style finish.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Freeze cooled muffins for up to 2 months and reheat in the microwave for 10 to 30 seconds.
Nutrition
Originally published in February, 2013, this post was updated in October, 2026.
Can I use sweet potato puree?
Hi, Kelly! I haven’t tried it with the sweet potatoes, but I would think that should work fine — as long as the sweet potato puree has a similar consistency to the canned pumpkin. I wouldn’t use a really thin and runny sweet potato puree like baby food — you want something a bit thicker. Enjoy!
why cant you use pumpkin pie mix?
I think that the pie mix would technically “work,” but the pie mix is very sweet and includes spices in it. Since the cake mix is already really sweet and has spices in it, you’d basically be making the muffins twice as sweet and spicy. Hope that makes sense!
I used 15oz of pumpkin pie mix since I only had a yellow cake mix. I added an egg and increased baking time by 5 minutes due to extra moisture. They turned out great!
First of all, thank you for all of your wonderful recipes. Always look forward to your email each Sunday. I had a problem with my muffins and hope you can help to solve. Went by directions and added a few chopped walnuts. The problem is that they came out very gummy. The toothpick came out clean when tested. I baked again for fifteen more minutes and still a little gummy. What did I do wrong? I have an oven thermometer and it checked out at 375*. Thank you.
Hi, Jane! Thanks for your kind note! The muffins may have a slightly more gummy texture than a traditional muffin because you’re not adding a fat like butter or oil. It’s similar to when you use applesauce to replace the fat in a baking recipe — it ends up with a slightly different texture. That said, they shouldn’t be too gummy or odd in taste/texture. I’m wondering if maybe they were over-mixed? Sometimes mixing batter too much can result in a dense muffin. Also, did you use Libby’s brand pumpkin puree? That’s the only brand that I ever use, but I’ve heard that alternative brands (like store brands or generics) may have more water in them, which can alter the texture of your baked goods. A muffin batter that’s too wet will definitely taste more gummy when it’s baked. Other than that, I can’t think of what the problem might be. Again, thanks for your support of the blog and for reading along with us!
Thank you for your quick reply. I probably over mixed. Yes, I do use Libby’s.. They look beautiful. I ended up putting them back in the oven and baked 20 more minutes. They are better but still a little gummy. Next time, I’ll try to hold back the urge to over-mix. A problem I have. Thank you again.
Sounds good! Thanks, Jane!
Well this has to be the easiest recipe ever. & yes they are delicious. HOWEVER……what did I do wrong that they didn’t rise? Yes I used Duncan Hines Spice Cake Mix. Yes I used Libbys Pumpkin. Yes I used a blender. Yes I sprayed my muffins tins. Yes at 375 degrees. Yes for 18 minutes. Kinda frustrating. Thanks for your reply.
Hi, Jules! It sounds like you did everything “right,” so it’s really impossible for me to know what went wrong. The leavener in the cake mix should make the muffins rise, so there’s no clear explanation why they wouldn’t in your case. I’ve never tried using a blender — perhaps they were over-mixed and therefore too dense? That’s my only guess. Otherwise, maybe the cake mix wasn’t fresh and therefore the leavener wasn’t activated? Sorry I can’t offer a clear answer, but I’m glad that you thought they were delicious. 🙂
I had the same problem! Followed it to a T. And they never rised.
These are perfect! Thank you for sharing ❤️ glad I tested them so early in the season so I make keep making them all Fall long!
Excellent! I’m so glad that you’ve found a new favorite for the season!
I’d like to add raisins but also some oatmeal would that work?
Hi, Janet! The raisins will definitely work well. I’m not sure about the oatmeal — maybe just sprinkle some on top of the muffins before baking? I worry that adding extra dry ingredients may dry out the batter, but I haven’t tested it to know for sure. 🙂
I added some liquefied Coconut oil to each paper cup and put the leftover partial Tbsp into the batter and stirred with the rubber spatula and baked the 12 muffins aT 375° for 18 minutes and the muffins came out beautifully so there is a bit of flexibility there and the mix I used was a Duncan Hines perfectly moist “Signature” spice cake and If I make this again I’ll experiment by adding some Chocolate chips or dried Cranberries
Sounds great, Vinnie! Thanks for sharing your adjustments, too! I know you’ll love them with the extra add-ins as well. 🙂
I have been making these for years and I add a bag of cinnamon chips to spice cake mix, really good. I also made devils food cake mix with a bag of choclate chips. Both are great!
YUM! I bet the cinnamon chips are delicious, Sally! 🙂
Hi Sally,
Are cinnamon chips the candy red-hots or something else?
Thanks!
Hi, Cindy! Cinnamon chips are similar to chocolate chips, but cinnamon flavored instead. Here’s a link to some that Hershey’s makes: https://www.target.com/p/hershey-s-cinnamon-chip-10oz/-/A-53586743?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&fndsrc=tgtao&DFA=71700000012732781&CPNG=PLA_Grocery%2BShopping_Local%7CGrocery_Ecomm_Food_Bev&adgroup=SC_Grocery&LID=700000001170770pgs&LNM=PRODUCT_GROUP&network=g&device=c&location=9008300&targetid=pla-816146012114&ds_rl=1246978&gclid=CjwKCAjwsfuYBhAZEiwA5a6CDGARp7qab9zBDWOOWZXIqeFKH7jTz-KvQvgJMcl6y6f1H5qGKIpQ7RoC0GMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Hope that helps!
I wanted to use some pumpkin purée I prepared just this morning. How many cups would be best for a 13.9 oz Betty Crocker Cinnamon Streusel muffin/quick bread mix?
Hi, Zain! I would use about 1 3/4 cups of the homemade puree. Hope you enjoy the muffins!
Can this recipe be made with Namaste gluten free Spice Cake Mix ??
Hi, Catharine! I’m not sure — I’m not familiar with that brand, and I’ve never tried a gluten free cake mix. If it’s otherwise comparable to a regular cake mix as far as the ingredients and baking instructions go, I would think it should work. 🙂
Brilliant blog…
Thought I bought a spice cake mix but bought a carrot cake mix instead. The muffins were delicious even though I used the wrong mix. On top of that, my house smelled like a bakery !! Thank you for this versatile recipe.
Oh, that’s great to know, Bitsey! I bet they were delicious. Thanks for your note!
Think you can mix in cream cheese for cream cheese muffins?
Yes, I think that would probably work fine! Let me know if you give it a shot. 🙂
These are so easy and delicious! They are very moist which I like but my husband thought they were a little too moist almost doughy. But you can tell by looking at them they are fully cooked. Wondering if adding a little flour might help this or maybe just a little less pumpkin? I used a small 15 oz can of pumpkin puree.
Hi, Denise! Yes, you could try either of those options. The moist almost doughy texture is a result of no added fat (like oil or butter) and a lot of moisture from the pumpkin. So again, you could try adding flour or reducing the pumpkin to see how that changes the texture. You might also try adding an egg or two to the mix. I know some folks have done that…
Glad that you enjoyed them — especially given how quick and easy they are! 🙂
I have tried just pumpkin and cake mix. I prefer to add two eggs to the batter. They rise higher and are less dense.
I thought better too dry so I added 1 medium egg & baked 20 minutes. Loved them! Can’t wait to try other suggestions on previous posts.
They are so yummy but the tops are crazy sticky even though toothpick comes out clean. What am I doing wrong?
I don’t know, Kim. I haven’t had that issue. Is your house really humid? I notice that baked goods sometimes get sticky in the summer when my house is particularly humid. Other than that, I can’t think of a reason that they would be sticky. You might try sprinkling the tops with coarse sugar, just to give them some good texture and maybe avoid some of the stickiness.
I saw another 2-ingredient pumpkin spice muffin recipe that added 1 c water to the pumpkin before mixing in the cake mix. They are delicious! Not dense at all. I love them! Thanks for posting!
Thanks, Becky!
Can you use a Keto cake mix?
Hi, Sara! I have no idea — I’m not familiar with Keto mixes. If they have similar baking instructions to a regular mix, then I think they’d probably work.
These are the BEST! I also add 1/2 C. each of coconut raisins and pumpkin seeds.
They are a very hardy bunch!
Easy and taste good. I also added raisens.
Thanks, Pam!
Have made dozens of these since finding the recipe. My son with major stomach issues tolerates them and loves them. I make some with chocolate chips, some with pecans and some with coconut. I do not fill my cupcake paper cups full. It will make 2 dozen muffins. I also like the carrot cake mix a little better than the spice. So simple. Thanks!
Thanks, Sue!
I made these pumpkin muffins twice and only added chopped walnuts. Both batches turned out perfectly, and everyone loved them. I sent the recipe to my cousin in northern Pennsylvania. She mixed the batter and decided to try a test muffin. It was like leather, so she added some water, and another test muffin also turned out tough. Finally she added oil, eggs and water as in the recipe on the cake mix box. She said they turned out fluffy and delicious! Defeats the 2-ingredient idea.
Was her problem because of her higher elevation (in the mountains)? I’m in Florida and had no problem.
Thank you.
Hi, Grace! I don’t know — I would guess that your cousin’s higher elevation may have had something to do with it. I’m no expert at elevation baking though, so I’m not sure. I’m glad that you enjoyed them, though!
I think elevation must make a big difference. I live just west of Denver and the muffins came out the same size they went in. No raising at all and very, very heavy. I think I’ll try again with at least part of the add-ins listed on the spice cake box to see if eggs or oil are needed to make them rise.
How can I make it a little more moisture. They seem to be a little dry and the recipe I used said 350 for 20 minutes. So this one would even be cooking it more. O really love them but want to make them less crumbly?
Hi, Cindy! Adding oil to baked goods makes them more moist, so you can definitely test that out if you like.
The batter is very thick. Can you add a little oil or a little water?
Thank you!
Elizabeth