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.
Made them before and always had great success with them
We’re so happy to hear this, Jacki!
This was amazing! I used 2 mini boxes of jiffy vanilla cake mix, some nutmeg and ginger and it turned out fantastic.
Thanks, Celia! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it!
Do you think this would work with pumpkin pie filling? Not the whole can, of course, bit I don’t have pumpkin and don’t have time to go to the store.
Hi, Amanda! I’ve not tested it with the pie filling; however, the pie filling will have a lot of extra sugar (along with extra seasoning/spices). My biggest concern would be the sweetness — I think the muffins would just be way too sweet with the pie filling rather than the plain pumpkin. That said, maybe you don’t mind, or maybe it won’t be as strong as I think. Let us know if you test it!
Delicious and super easy!
I made this with chocolate chips in the mini muffin pan (pan spray to keep from sticking).
8-10 minutes was perfect!
For a little extra sweetness, I added a sprinkle of powdered sugar over them.
It was slightly pumpkin-y, but that’s how people tend to like it. Next time I might add some spices as I didn’t use a spice cake. (I used French vanilla DH cake)
Powdered sugar on top sounds like a wonderful addition. We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Danielle!
I’ve been making this for 13yrs since my teen was 3yrs old and a coworker told me about this when brought them into work.
Every year I make sure I get 4-6 boxes/cans of each because my family will go through them in a day or two and now that I have another toddler, I use them to get extra veg in their diet.
This year I added whipped cream cheese frosting to the ones not for the toddler and yep, didnt last 6 hours. They were fantantasic!
Thank you so much, Courtney!
Thanks for the awesome ideas. Have a blessed day.
Same to you, Christine!
Very easy, I had frozen fresh pumpkin puree so I used it , added 3/4 C chopped pecans. Made it for a camping trip, everyone enjoyed .
We’re glad it was a hit, Dee!
Not at all good. It tastes very processed and cardboard-like. The thick batter never settled in the tin smooothly so my muffins came out uneven on top. The texture is very thick and pastey. It doesn’t have enough liquid to not taste like flour. Would not recommend this at all! Stick with the homemade version!
This is such a great recipe, so simple/easy… it is always a hit! This time, just for fun… I put the batter into a bag, cut off a corner and piped it into a donut pan… I think we like it this way better than the muffins
Sounds perfect! Thanks, Scott!
Great recipe! I added butterscotch chips to the batter… so good!
Thank you, Jackie!
I made these this weekend and they are really, really good and so easy!! I read a lot of the reviews and I did add the one egg like many suggested. I’m glad I did. Again, so easy and delicious!
Thank you, Rebecca!
Simple, but tasty, recipe. It’s a keeper. Thank you for sharing
Thanks, Gayle!
Turned out so great! Hard to believe just a cake mix and pumpkin really make muffin/cupcakes but this recipe works. Made them with my 4 yr old grandson, he dropped one chocolate chip in each muffin cup ( only modification I did with the recipe ). I used a yellow cake mix, beat with an electric stand mixer to make the batter as fluffy as possible. Batter is definitively thick. Will definitely make again with other grandchildren!❤️
You can never go wrong with chocolate chips! We’re so glad it turned out well for you, Marie. Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to come back and leave a review.
If you don’t have a nice comment to respond, say nothing at all.
Your response was rude.
So good! Here is my twist on the recipe! I added one egg and 2 Tbs of oil and cinnamon chips!
Thank you, Candace!
I made it. I couldn’t believe it but it was only two ingredients so what the heck it was worth a try…OH MY GOODNESS!!! It’s that yummy!! This is a magic no stress no mess high praise treat! Truly, buy the spice cake and pumpkin mix small can and have itbb by in the cupboard for those breakfast or dessert emergencies. When you get a suprise phone call and guests will be there within an hour start the coffee and put the bread in the oven. They will think you have worked all morning on it. It’s that good!! Fast muffins please not a problem. Homemaker of the year goes to you! I made a cream cheese frosting but the bread comes out beautiful no need for the frosting but hey it’s simple too. Have fun with this one. Thank you so much for this moist yummy treat. Whats with the eggs??? It doesn’t need them.
Thank you for such a kind review, Jan! We truly appreciate it and are so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Tasty, and very soft texture. I got 18 muffins and they all went quickly! Thank you
We’re so glad they were a hit! Thank you for trying them out.
Sounds good & easy. Will try in 3 days
We’d love to know how they turn out for you!
I love these muffins! My family likes chocolate cake mix and I add two scoops of chocolate protein powder to give it some extra substance.
That’s a great idea! We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Elizabeth.
Quick question? Store didn’t have spice cake mix! Got the yellow and pumpkin pie spice! How much do I add to recipe of the spice?
Most mixes usually contain about 2 teaspoons. Of course, feel free to adjust to taste.
Hello ! This sounds awesome but I have celiac so can I possibly use a gluten free box of cake mix ? Thanks !
Hi Leigh Anne! Yes, we’ve had several readers have success with a gluten-free mix.
I have a question. Have you ever made this as a bread instead of muffins? If so, what is cooking time.
Hi, Maureen! We’ve never tried using this particular recipe for bread but it should work.
We typically bake pumpkin bread at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes (but add extra time if you’re using a light or ceramic pan). It’s done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
You will likely have more batter than you need for 1 loaf of pumpkin bread, so you might have two loaves, or 1 loaf and some muffins. We hope you enjoy!