Kids’ Kitchen: Gingerbread Cupcakes
You know how much we love gingerbread!
This time Ella and I are back with Gingerbread Cupcakes. Add super cute gingerbread man sprinkles to his decadent dessert and you won’t be able to keep them on the plate!
Gingerbread Cupcakes Recipe
We have been a little gingerbread obsessed this holiday season. We made Gingerbread Sugar Scrub as a fun last minute gift for teachers and friends. They were such a big hit we thought we would spread the cheer with cupcakes.
These cupcakes are moist and fluffy with a creamy frosting you’ll be licking off of the spatula! The hint of gingerbread is wonderfully rich without being overpowering. Add these to a cup of coffee after dinner for the perfect dessert.
We took a plate of these to our last holiday party and they were a huge hit. The kids really love the little gingerbread men sprinkles! I found them on Amazon for a good price and sprinkle them on many of our holiday recipes.
Be SURE the butter is at room temperature before starting your recipe. This is an important step! Butter is the center of this recipe. Using butter that is to cold can result in a clumpy batter that doesn’t mix well. BUT if you are like me, sometimes you are in a bit of a time crunch. So here’s a little hint: use the grater.
If you have frozen butter and need to get this recipe whipped up in a hurry, grate the half cup of butter into a small bowl. In no time your butter will be softened and ready to cook with.
Also, while making gingerbread cupcakes, be sure to leave enough time for the cupcakes to cool completely before adding the frosting.
Gingerbread Cupcake Ingredients
- Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Eggs
- Molasses <– can use treacle syrup if you want to be more authentic
- Milk
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking powder
- Ground Ginger
- Baking Soda
- Pinch salt
- Cinnamon
- Ground Nutmeg
- Ground Allspice
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- Cream Cheese, softened
- Butter, room temperature
- Powdered icing sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Gingerbread Sprinkles
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Electric mixer<– this is a great hand mixer if you don’t want to make the investment into a stand mixer
- Large mixing bowl
- Piping bag
- Large star tip <– a basic piping set will have all you need
- Cupcake pan
- Cupcake liners
- Cupcake scoop
- Cooling racks <– I have and love these tiered cooling racks, they save so much counter space and are also oven-safe
How to Make Gingerbread Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners.
In large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until creamy. Beat in the egg until combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Beat in the milk, molasses, and vanilla on medium speed.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice together until combined. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.
Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add icing sugar and 1 tablespoon milk. Beat for 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and 1 more tablespoon milk if needed to thin out. Beat for 1 minute.
Swirl on the frosting using an icing bag fitted with your desired tip. Sprinkle gingerbread man sprinkles or a pinch of cinnamon to garnish.
Grab your free printable for our Gingerbread Cupcakes recipe:
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Gingerbread Cupcakes
A perfectly spiced gingerbread cupcake with homeamde cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
FOR THE CUPCAKES:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered icing sugar
- 1-2 Tablespoons milk or cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until creamy. Beat in the egg until combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Beat in the milk, molasses, and vanilla on medium speed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice together until combined. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add icing sugar and 1 tablespoon milk. Beat for 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and 1 more tablespoon milk if needed to thin out. Beat for 1 minute.
- Swirl on the frosting using an icing bag fitted with your desired tip. Sprinkle gingerbread man sprinkles or a pinch of cinnamon to garnish.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Cake Decorating Supplies Kit for Beginners, Set of 137, Baking Pastry Tools, 1 Turntable stand-55 Numbered Icing Tips with Pattern Chart, Angled Spatula, 8 Russian Piping nozzles-Baking Tools
-
Cookie Scoop Ice Cream Scoop Melon Scoop 18/8 Stainless Steel with Trigger Cupcake Scoops (#14)
-
Wilton Excelle Elite 3-Tier Cooling Rack for Cookies, Cakes and More
-
Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese Brick (8 oz Box)
-
Grandmas, Unsulphured Molasses, 12 oz
-
Dress My Cupcake DMC27283 Decorating Edible Cake and Cookie Confetti Sprinkles, Christmas Gingerbread Men, 2.4-Ounce
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 192Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 129mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 0gSugar: 18gProtein: 2g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
Don’t you just love them! Bring your kids in on this recipe too. Ella is a master at using the hand mixer and loves anything to do with scooping ingredients.
(I’ve actually considered buying a better stand mixer considering how much helping she does in the kitchen, but I think the hand mixer helps develop her hand strength so we’re going to stick with that for now!)
While you are in the kitchen with your kids you can make these fun Play Dough Gingerbread Ornaments as a special addition to your tree this year.
You’ll love Ferrero Rocher Cupcakes too! These are to die for so be sure to save one out for yourself.