Gingerbread Cupcakes
Gingerbread cupcakes are the perfect treat to celebrate the best flavors of the season with! These tender Christmas cupcakes get topped with a creamy spiced buttercream frosting that you’ll just adore.
Is there anything better than a fluffy, moist cupcake? Just thinking about one makes me want to celebrate something.
And that makes me wonder why we don’t have cupcakes more around the holiday season.
After all, aren’t the holidays all about celebrating and being festive?
I sure think so.
And there is absolutely nothing more festive than a moist, delicious cupcake flavored with one of the quintessential flavors of the season: gingerbread.
Except for maybe a gingerbread cupcake topped with a cloud of spiced buttercream frosting.
Everything about it makes me tingle with holiday cheer.
The taste and OMG the smell of these baking in the oven.
Pure holiday heaven!
And it’s easier to make these homemade Christmas cupcakes than you might think.
With a few basic ingredients and an easy to follow recipe, this holiday magic can be happening in your kitchen before you know it.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes you need:
- all purpose flour
- spices- ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt
- baking powder
- unsalted room temperature butter
- brown sugar
- eggs
- oil
- vanilla extract
- molasses
- buttermilk
For the icing you need:
- unsalted room temperature butter
- confectioner’s sugar
- spices- ginger and cinnamon
- vanilla extract
- heavy cream
How to Make the Gingerbread Cupcakes
Since there are two parts to this recipe, let’s break it down into making the cupcakes first and then we’ll get to the buttercream.
To make the cupcakes, start by preheating the oven to 350 and lining a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Line 2 of the cavities in a 6 cup muffin tin.
Set the prepared tins aside.
How to Make the Spiced Buttercream
Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, it’s time to make the frosting.
Storing
Store the frosted cupcakes in a lidded container that has room to fit the frosted cupcakes without the frosting touching the lid.
If you don’t have a deep enough container, place the frosted cupcakes on a cookie tray and place them in the fridge for an hour.
This will let the buttercream harden enough so you can wrap them in plastic without damaging the frosting.
You can leave frosted cupcakes on your counter, covered or wrapped for 1 to 2 days or in covered and wrapped in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t overmix the cupcake batter. You want to mix until just combined. Any more mixing deflates any air pockets and over activates the gluten in the flour, leading to dense and gummy cupcakes.
- If the frosting is too thick after adding the heavy cream, add another tablespoon and mix again. Repeat until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Make sure all the cake ingredients that you would keep in the fridge have a chance to come to room temperature prior to mixing into the cupcake batter.
- Don’t overfill the cupcake liners or the cupcakes will overflow.
Other Festive Cupcake Recipes
These gingerbread cupcakes are a holiday treat we love! Make them this holiday season and enjoy!
Looking for other festive cupcakes?
Try these:
If you’ve tried this GINGERBREAD CUPCAKE recipe, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Gingerbread Cupcakes with Spiced Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
For The Spiced Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ¼ cup molasses
- ½ cup buttermilk room temperature
For The Spiced Buttercream
- · 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- · 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
- · ½ tsp ground ginger
- · ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- · 1 tsp vanilla extract
- · 1 tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners and a 6-cup muffin tin with 2 cupcake liners. Set aside.
To Make The Cupcakes
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, spices, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer, whisk the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- Add the eggs, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add in the molasses and whisk to combine
- With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 2 additions, alternating with the buttermilk and whisk until just combined. Do not overmix. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners – fill to only 2/3 full to avoid spilling.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
To Make The Spiced Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add half confectioner’s sugar and spices and beat on low speed until incorporated
- Add the rest of the sugar and beat on low speed until incorporated.
- Add the vanilla and heavy cream and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Change mixer speed to medium high and beat frosting until light and fluffy
- Frost cooled cupcakes and decorate with gingerbread men cookies or sprinkles as desired.
Nutrition
