Description
Delight in these moist and warmly spiced Gingerbread Cupcakes topped with creamy vanilla cream cheese frosting. Perfect for the holidays or any cozy occasion, these cupcakes blend aromatic ginger, cinnamon, and cloves with rich molasses for a classic festive treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Gingerbread Cupcakes:
- 1 2/3 cup All-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg
- 6 TBSP Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 TBSP Oil, canola or vegetable
- 3/4 cup Brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup Molasses, not blackstrap (e.g., Grandma’s)
- 1 Large egg, room temperature
- 1/2 cup Buttermilk, room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 3/4 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 8 oz Cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 cups Powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Liners: Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175℃). Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with cupcake liners and set aside to streamline the baking process.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg to ensure an even distribution of spices and leavening agents.
- Cream Butter, Oil, and Sugar: Using a mixer, beat the unsalted butter, canola or vegetable oil, and brown sugar on high speed for 2 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy, which helps incorporate air for a tender crumb.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the vanilla extract, molasses, and large egg on medium speed until well combined. Then add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, mixing on low speed until just combined. Scrape the bowl with a spatula to ensure all ingredients are incorporated without overmixing.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Use a large cookie scoop to portion the batter into the liners, filling each about two-thirds full to allow room for rising without overflowing.
- Bake: Place the cupcake pan in the oven and bake for 18 to 21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the cupcakes rest in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before transferring them to the rack to cool completely, ensuring they firm up before frosting.
- Prepare Frosting Sugar: Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl to remove lumps and achieve a smooth frosting texture.
- Cream Butter and Cream Cheese: Beat the unsalted butter on high speed for 2 minutes until light, then add the cream cheese and beat again on high for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl and continue beating until smooth and creamy with no lumps.
- Add Powdered Sugar in Stages: Incorporate half the sifted powdered sugar on low speed, mix until combined, then add the remaining powdered sugar and continue mixing on low to blend evenly.
- Add Vanilla and Final Beat: Add the pure vanilla extract and beat on high speed until the frosting is fluffy, creamy, and perfect for piping.
- Decorate: Using a piping bag fitted with a large French star tip, pipe the cream cheese frosting beautifully onto the cooled cupcakes, ready to serve.
Notes
- Flour Measurement: Spoon and level the flour or use a kitchen scale to avoid compacted flour, which can dry out cupcakes.
- High Altitude Baking: If baking at high altitude, add an extra 1 tablespoon of flour to the batter for best results.
- Dairy Ingredients: Remove butter, cream cheese, egg, and buttermilk from the refrigerator about 2 hours before baking to allow them to reach room temperature, ensuring smooth mixing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake with frosting
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 48 mg
