These gingerbread cupcakes have a moist, soft crumb and a delicate flavor of molasses and spices. A sweet gingerbread frosting brightens the flavor of the cupcakes. If you’re a gingerbread lover, then this recipe is for you. These cupcakes are made from scratch and topped with a melt-in-your mouth gingerbread frosting that is not too overpowering. The ingredients are simple to find at any grocery store and they don’t take long to make! I was asked by Carusele to participate in the #BakingAtHome campaign, sponsored by B&G Foods, Inc.. Although I have been compensated, all opinions are my own.
As the holiday season approaches, it is time for baking. These gingerbread cupcakes are not only delicious, but they are cute and festive. The gingerbread frosting will be a hit with kids and adults alike! They can also easily be made gluten-free if needed. With these cupcakes you definitely won’t want to miss out on the festivities this holiday season!
Why I Love Gingerbread Cupcakes
The gingerbread is a quintessential Christmas dessert. This classic recipe is often celebrated with during the December season in cookie form. However, since we’re huge fans of this flavor, cupcakes sounded more appealing.
I wanted something elegant in flavor and taste that would appeal to guests at a dessert buffet–something not too kiddish. This recipe is for anyone who appreciates warm spice, molasses, and a tasty buttercream with an elegant holiday presentation. Truly, I feel as if these cupcakes would go perfectly with anything from a glass of wine to a hot coffee.
What You’ll Need to Make These
These holiday cupcakes are made of traditional pantry staples like flour, milk, sugar, spices, Clabber Girl® Baking Powder, Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening, and Grandma’s Molasses®. If you don’t have these holiday baking musts on-hand, you’ll need them for this cupcake recipe.
Since 1850 Clabber Girl Baking Powder had been the #1 brand of baking powder in America. In these muffins, baking powder is used to increase the volume and lighten the texture.
With all the baking I do weekly, I go through so much butter, oil, and shortening. My favorite brand is Crisco® since they are a trusted brand of over 100 years! I love their shortening and oil products that help to always deliver consistent results for my baked goods and meals. I used Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening in both my cupcake recipe and frosting.
How to Make the Gingerbread Cupcakes
These cupcakes come together pretty easily, but I do recommend using room temperature dairy ingredients. Another baking tip is to be sure that your baking spices are not outdated. You really want your warm spices to have a vibrant, fresh taste. Spice Islands® makes all the warm gingerbread spices you’ll need for this recipe. See the printable recipe card below for complete instructions, but the following is the general gist of things.
- Whisk dry ingredients until combined.
- Add in wet ingredients, and then increase the mixer speed.
- Beat until smooth and lump-free.
- Scoop batter in cupcake liners 3/4 of the way.
- Bake & cool before frosting.
How to Make the Gingerbread Frosting
Making gingerbread frosting is easier than you think! Typically, we use a cream cheese buttercream recipe, but adding subtle flavors of ginger and molasses sounded appealing for these holiday cupcakes. The trick is you only need a little bit of molasses and ginger flavoring to not overpower the buttercream. I used both room temperature butter and shortening in this frosting so that it would pipe well and get those perfectly crusted outer edges on the swirls.
Made in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, the end result was a sweet, rich frosting that had a subtle, warm taste of molasses, and ginger. This recipe adequately piped twisty swirls on 12 cupcakes. Consider doubling it for larger cupcake quantities.
Storing
Since these are made with fresh dairy ingredients like butter they do need to be refrigerated. Store gingerbread cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days for best flavor and texture.
These can also be frozen with or without frosting. To freeze, place frosted cupcakes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 2-3 hours or until solid. Once solid, wrap each with plastic wrap and store in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
Some Other Holiday Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
- Hermit Bars
- Gingerbread Muffins
- Christmas Crack
- Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peppermint Snowball Cookies
Visit BakingAtHome.com to explore hundreds of recipes, tips, tricks, and hacks to help you discover your true kitchen potential.
Gingerbread Cupcakes with Gingerbread Frosting
Equipment
- 12-count cupcake pan & liners
- stand mixer
- rubber spatula
- Measuring Cups & spoons
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- ½ cup Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening room temperature*
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed firmly in cup
- 1 large egg room temperature*
- ½ cup Grandma's Molasses®
- ½ cup water room temperature*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Clabber Girl® Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Clabber Girl® Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon Spice Islands® ground Ginger
- ½ teaspoon Spice Islands® ground Nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon Spice Islands® Ground Saigon Cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon Spice Islands® Allspice *can be omitted if you do not have it on-hand
Frosting
- ½ cup butter unsalted, room temperature
- ½ cup Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon Grandma's Molasses®
- ¼ teaspoon Spice Islands Ground Ginger
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-count cupcake pan with liners; set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the flour, Clabber Girl® Baking Powder, Clabber Girl® Baking Soda, salt, Spice Islands Ground Ginger, Saigon Cinnamon, and All Spice.
- Add Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening, egg, Grandma's Molasses®, and water.
- Beat on low to medium speed for one minute or until combined and not lumpy.
- Scoop batter into lined cupcake pan and fill each about ¾ of the way. This recipe makes exactly 12 standard cupcakes.
- Bake cupcakes at 350℉ for 23-25 minutes, or until a toothpick or tester inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean once inserted and remove.
- Allow cupcakes to cool for at least one hour before frosting.
Frosting
- Add room temperature butter, Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening, ginger, and Grandma's Molasses® to a stand mixer; mix on medium-low speed until creamy.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar and reduce the stand mixer speed to low. Once the ingredients start to incorporate, add the milk, and increase the speed. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides. The frosting will be thick and moist. If it is too dry add a tablespoon more of milk.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip with frosting and ice cooled cupcakes. Pipe cupcakes, and then sprinkle each with gold sanding sugar. Garnish each cupcake with a topper, and enjoy!
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