These gingerbread cupcakes are really soft, moist, and full of spice. They have a delicious frosting made of creamy vanilla and gingerbread-flavored cream cheese swirled together. Imagine the taste of tasty, spiced gingerbread cookies, but in a cupcake! I added cute mini gingerbread cookies on top. These cupcakes are ideal for the holidays, especially if you’re a fan of gingerbread!
Gingerbread Cupcakes
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- Frosting Upgrade: The swirled vanilla and gingerbread cream cheese frosting takes these cupcakes to a whole new level of deliciousness.
- Gingerbread Flavor: Similar to gingerbread cookies, these cupcakes have the same spiced, molasses flavor that makes them so tasty.
- Soft & Moist: Thanks to a mix of butter and oil, the cupcake texture is soft, moist, and fluffy, staying delicious for days.
Key Ingredients:
- Molasses: Use unsulphured baking molasses, either medium or dark. Avoid blackstrap molasses as it’s too bitter. Bonus: any leftover molasses can be used for gooey gingerbread cinnamon rolls or gingerbread cookies.
- Oil & Butter: Vegetable oil keeps the cupcakes moist, while butter adds flavor. Any neutral-tasting oil works; in this case, grapeseed oil was used.
- Buttermilk: Opt for store-bought buttermilk for the best results.
- All-Purpose Flour: Weigh the flour for accuracy. If you don’t have a scale, measure by stirring and gently spooning into a measuring cup. Avoid packing it in, and scrape off excess with a knife’s flat edge.
- Spices (Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Cardamom – optional): These spices create the perfect gingerbread flavor. Cardamom is optional but adds an extra layer of taste.
Gingerbread Frosting Ingredients:
- Butter: Softened unsalted butter makes mixing much easier.
- Cream Cheese: Opt for full-fat brick-style cream cheese for a stable frosting that won’t be too runny.
Gingerbread Cupcakes
Ingredient Substitutions:
- Gluten-Free Option: Substitute all-purpose flour with 1:1 gluten-free flour.
- Cloves Alternative: If you don’t have cloves, allspice is a great substitute with a very similar flavor profile.
- No Cream Cheese: If you’re out of cream cheese, replace it with an equal amount of butter (half a cup).
Make-Ahead and Storage:
Store frosted cupcakes in the fridge due to the cream cheese in the frosting. Use a cupcake carrier to keep them fresh without smashing the frosting. They can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
For the best taste, let the cupcakes come to room temperature. Allow them to sit out for 20-30 minutes to let the frosting soften and become soft and fluffy.
Why Butter and Oil in the Cupcake Batter?
The combination of both butter and oil provides these cupcakes with the best flavor and texture.
- Butter: Adds a rich, buttery flavor to the cupcakes.
- Oil: Ensures a texture that remains soft and moist for an extended period.
By using both butter and oil, you get a delightful flavor and a wonderfully soft, moist, fluffy texture in your cupcakes.
RELATED CUPCAKES RECIPES
Gingerbread Cupcakes
These gingerbread cupcakes are really soft, moist, and full of spice. They have a delicious frosting made of creamy vanilla and gingerbread-flavored cream cheese swirled together. Imagine the taste of tasty, spiced gingerbread cookies, but in a cupcake! I added cute mini gingerbread cookies on top. These cupcakes are ideal for the holidays, especially if you’re a fan of gingerbread!
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
COOK TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes
SERVINGS: 12 cupcakes
INGREDIENTS
Cupcakes:
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup molasses (unsulphured, not blackstrap)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp cardamom (optional)
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (210g)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
Frosting:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- 4 oz cream cheese, slightly softened for 20 minutes
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp molasses (unsulphured, not blackstrap)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 12 mini gingerbread men cookies
NSTRUCTIONS
Cupcakes
- Put muffin liners in a regular-sized muffin tin with 12 holes. Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C).
- In a big bowl or using a stand mixer, mix together ¼ cup of butter, ¼ cup of vegetable oil, and ⅓ cup of brown sugar. Keep mixing until it becomes creamy, smooth, and light in color.
- Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and two large eggs one at a time. Mix well after each egg and don’t forget to scrape the sides of the bowl. Also, add ½ cup of molasses and ½ cup of buttermilk, and mix everything together until well combined.
Add 1 tablespoon of ground ginger, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon of cloves, and optionally ¼ teaspoon of cardamom to the batter. Mix everything well. - In the same bowl, sift in 1 ¾ cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon of baking soda. Use a whisk to gently fold until the batter forms, ensuring there are no dry streaks.
- Fill the muffin liners with the batter, about ¾ of the way up, leaving space for them to rise in the oven.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few crumbs attached.
- Allow the muffins to cool, then remove them from the muffin tin.
Frosting
- Put ¾ cup of softened unsalted butter into a large bowl or stand mixer. Use a paddle attachment or stand mixer to beat it until it becomes creamy and light in color.
- Add powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, and beat well after each addition. Aim for a total of 2-3 cups of powdered sugar.
- Put in 4 ounces of softened cream cheese, 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and beat until everything is well combined. Make sure the frosting is light, fluffy, and holds its shape. Add more powdered sugar if needed for a smoother texture.
- Set aside half of the frosting in a separate bowl.
- Into the remaining frosting, add 2 tablespoons of molasses, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of ginger. Beat until the mixture is smooth.
- For a swirled effect, fill a piping bag with both vanilla and gingerbread frostings, placing them on opposite sides.
- Pipe swirls of the frosting onto the baked and cooled cupcakes. Press a gingerbread man cookie into the side or top of each cupcake’s frosting.
- Optionally, sprinkle more cinnamon on top and serve!
Pin this delicious recipe on Pinterest to save and share with your foodie friends!
Gingerbread Cupcakes