Find out how to make gingerbread cupcakes with a delicious cinnamon cream cheese frosting! This festive sweet treat will be sure to get you into the holiday spirit at Christmas time!
‘Tis the season to be jolly, and what better way to spread some cheer than by whipping up a batch of these moist gingerbread cupcakes with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting?
If you’re looking for a festive and tasty treat to bring to your next holiday party, look no further than these gingerbread cupcakes. These gingerbread cupcakes topped with our favorite cream cheese frosting are the perfect treat to get you into the Christmas spirit! They’re so much fun for bake sales, holiday parties and more!
The Gingerbread Cupcakes are soft, moist and full of flavor thanks to the rich gingerbread flavor, while the tangy cream cheese frosting adds a touch of sweetness.
What is Gingerbread?
Gingerbread is a type of spiced cake or biscuit that is traditionally made with warm spices like ginger, rich molasses and cinnamon.
Gingerbread is one of the most classic holiday flavors that can be enjoyed in so many different ways. This quintessential winter flavor can be made into all sorts of desserts, from gingerbread cookies or a gingerbread cake to a gingerbread house and even gingerbread men!
If you are looking for all things gingerbread be sure to check out some of these recipes such as a gingerbread muffins, gingerbread crinkle cookies, gingerbread cheesecake cups or gingerbread pancakes.
I love finding new and creative ways to enjoy gingerbread during the holiday season, and these cupcakes are definitely one of my favorites.
How to Make This Gingerbread Cupcake Recipe with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
- 1 ⅔ c all purpose flour
- 2 ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ c dark brown sugar
- 2 Tbs sugar
- 2 eggs + 1 yolk
- ½ c buttermilk
- 1 ½ tsp mccormick pure vanilla extract
- ½ c molasses
Frosting:
- 2 c powdered sugar
- 1 c salted butter, room temperature
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ginger
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°.
Line a cupcake pan or muffin tin with paper liners and lightly spray with baking spray. Set aside.
In a small bowl combine the dry ingredients: flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a separate large mixing bowl combine brown sugar, sugar and eggs.
Whisk by hand until well combined.
Add in buttermilk and vanilla and mix to combine.
Add in the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk until just incorporated. Be sure to scrape down the bottom of the bowl.
Lastly, mix in the molasses.
Scoop the cupcake batter into the liners in the prepared pan. Fill each liner ¾ of the way full.
Place the pan into the preheated oven on the center rack.
Bake cupcakes for 26 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a wire cooling rack to let cool completely before frosting.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream butter, powdered sugar, cream cheese, vanilla, salt, cinnamon and ginger.
Beat on low speed for about 1 minutes, until the ingredients are combined.
Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Turn the mixer on to medium-high and beat for another 3-4 minutes, until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
Spoon the frosting into a large piping bag fitted with an open star tip and pipe swirls onto the top of each cupcake.
Sprinkle the fluffy gingerbread cupcakes with cinnamon if desired.
Cupcakes may be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Substitutions:
- Nutmeg – Mace may be used instead.
- Buttermilk – Buttermilk can be made by simply removing 1 ½ tsp of milk and adding in 1 ½ tsp of lemon juice or vinegar. Whisk together, then let the mixture sit for 5 minutes before adding it to the recipe.
- Molasses – Honey or pure maple syrup may be used instead. If used, the taste and texture may change slightly.
Tips For Making Your Gingerbread Cupcakes Recipe
- When lining the cupcake pan, place the liners into every other cavity. Spacing the cupcakes out will help them to rise while baking, resulting in fuller, more rounded tops, avoiding cupcakes with flat tops.
- Once the flour mixture is added into the recipe, make sure you only mix until just combined. Overmixing can cause the gluten to overdevelop, resulting in a crumbly, dry cupcake.
- Use a cookie scoop to add the batter to the cupcake liners for an easy, mess free way of doing so.
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Gingerbread Cupcakes Recipe with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 2⁄3 c all purpose flour 2 1⁄2 tsp ginger
- 1 1⁄2 tsp cinnamon
- 3⁄4 tsp baking powder 1⁄2 tsp nutmeg
- 1⁄2 tsp baking soda
- 1⁄2 tsp salt
- 1⁄2 c brown sugar
- 2 Tbs sugar
- 2 eggs + 1 yolk
- 1⁄2 c buttermilk
- 1 1⁄2 tsp vanilla
- 1⁄2 c molasses
- Frosting:
- 2 c powdered sugar
- 1 c salted butter, room temperature 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1⁄2 tsp salt
- 1⁄2 tsp cinnamon
- 1⁄2 tsp ginger
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°.
Line a cupcake pan or muffin tin with paper liners and lightly spray with baking spray. Set aside.
In a small bowl combine the dry ingredients: flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a separate large mixing bowl combine brown sugar, sugar and eggs.
Whisk by hand until well combined.
Add in buttermilk and vanilla and mix to combine.
Add in the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk until just incorporated. Be sure to scrape down the bottom of the bowl.
Lastly, mix in the molasses.
Scoop the cupcake batter into the liners in the prepared pan. Fill each liner ¾ of the way full.
Place the pan into the preheated oven on the center rack.
Bake cupcakes for 26 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a wire cooling rack to let cool completely before frosting.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream butter, powdered sugar, cream cheese, vanilla, salt, cinnamon and ginger.
Beat on low speed for about 1 minutes, until the ingredients are combined.
Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Turn the mixer on to medium-high and beat for another 3-4 minutes, until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
Spoon the frosting into a large piping bag fitted with an open star tip and pipe swirls onto the top of each cupcake.
Sprinkle the fluffy gingerbread cupcakes with cinnamon if desired.
Cupcakes may be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
Substitutions:
Nutmeg - Mace may be used instead.
Buttermilk - Buttermilk can be made by simply removing 1 ½ tsp of milk and adding in 1 ½ tsp of lemon juice or vinegar. Whisk together, then let the mixture sit for 5 minutes before adding it to the recipe.
Molasses - Honey or pure maple syrup may be used instead. If used, the taste and texture may change slightly.
Tips For Making Your Gingerbread Cupcakes Recipe
- When lining the cupcake pan, place the liners into every other cavity. Spacing the cupcakes out will help them to rise while baking, resulting in fuller, more rounded tops, avoiding cupcakes with flat tops.
- Once the flour mixture is added into the recipe, make sure you only mix until just combined. Overmixing can cause the gluten to overdevelop, resulting in a crumbly, dry cupcake.
- Use a cookie scoop to add the batter to the cupcake liners for an easy, mess free way of doing so.