Gingerbread Cupcakes

Gingerbread cupcakes are moist cupcakes made with plenty of molasses and warm spices. They're an easy Christmas dessert that can be made from scratch in about 40 minutes.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Servings cupcakes

Calories 583kcal

Author Kate @ I Heart Eating

Equipment

Muffin tin

Ingredients

Cupcakes

½ cup unsalted butter melted
⅔ cup light brown sugar
1 cup molasses not blackstrap
1 large egg
2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup warm water

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
8 ounce package plain cream cheese at room temperature
4-6 cups powdered sugar depending on desired consistency of frosting
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Mini gingerbread or gingerbread sprinkles for decorating

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pans with 12-14 cupcake liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the butter and brown sugar until smooth and combined.
½ cup unsalted butter, ⅔ cup light brown sugar
Stir in the molasses and egg.
1 cup molasses, 1 large egg
In a medium bowl, add flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk to combine.
2 ¼ cups all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon allspice, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Stir until just combined.
Pour in the warm water. Mix again until just combined.
1 cup warm water
Scoop batter evenly into each cupcake liner, filling each cavity until almost full.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Once cupcakes have cooled, make the frosting: Add butter and cream cheese to the bowl of your stand mixer. Beat for at least 2 minutes.
½ cup unsalted butter, 8 ounce package plain cream cheese
Add 4 cups powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Whisk again to combine.
4-6 cups powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
While beating, pour in the heavy cream. Beat until everything is combined, light, and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add more powdered sugar if you need a stiffer frosting for piping.
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Frost the cupcakes by piping frosting on top. Decorate with mini gingerbread or however you see fit.

Notes

Butter: You can use salted butter in the batter and reduce the salt to 1/4 teaspoon. You can also use salted butter in the frosting and omit the salt in that part.
Brown sugar: Dark brown sugar will also work.
Spices: Feel free to adjust the spices to your liking.
Cream cheese: I recommend using full-fat cream cheese or 1/3-less fat cream cheese. Fat free doesn't work well in this recipe.
Nutrition values are estimates.

Nutrition