Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two (12 count) muffin tins with paper cupcake liners. Set aside.

With a hand or stand mixer, mix together the cake mix, pumpkin, water, eggs and oil stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix until smooth. Spoon or ladle batter into the prepared cupcake pan, with each cupcake about 3/4 full. Bake at 350 for 20-22 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean, and crumb free.

Remove cupcakes from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Once cool, poke 4 or 5 holes into the cake with a chopstick or the end of a wooden spoon.

In a microwave safe bowl, heat up a 1/2 cup of the caramel sauce for about 20-30 seconds, just to warm (making it easier to drizzle into the holes). Drizzle the warm caramel sauce into the holes of each cupcake, about 2 tsp. of sauce per cupcake.

To prepare the frosting & filling: With a hand or stand mixer, cream together the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy. On the slowest mixer setting, add the whipped topping one spoonful at a time, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Using a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 16 tip, pipe each hole in the cupcakes with the filling.

Using a larger cupcake tip (I used a 1M), pipe the remaining filling/frosting on top of each cupcake.

Drizzle the top of each cupcake with the remaining 1/4 cup of caramel sauce.

Enjoy right away. Refrigerate any leftovers. Cupcakes will keep refrigerated for 4-5 days.