This easy Gingerbread Cupcakes Recipe will be the hit of the holidays! Bold ginger with the perfect balance of molasses.
I love gingerbread. Something about the bold spices and sticky molasses flavor just screams “Holiday” to me. And these cupcakes are no exception. Packed with flavor, moist, and delicious no matter what type of frosting you decide to use!
Recipe Features:
- From Scratch Cupcake: While I do have quite a few box mix hacks, this recipe is all from scratch and worth the extra steps.
- Perfect with any frosting: I opted for a cinnamon cream cheese.
- Kid Approved: My son has proclaimed these insanely delicious.
What You’ll Need:
With a homemade cupcake like this you will need some pantry staple ingredients like flour, leavening agents, and eggs. But we’re bringing a bold flavor so there are a few more items you’ll need.
- Molasses- Here’s the deal, you will only need about 1/4 cup but it makes all the difference. Don’t skip this!
- Ginger: Ground ginger vs fresh will work best. I tried the later with failed results so stick to the powdered version.
- Cinnamon: Another SUPER important flavor that makes this cake!
For a full list of ingredients and measurements see the recipe card below.
Step By Step Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners and set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl or large measuring cup.
- Combine the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Use the paddle attachment to cream together, mixing at medium speed until the butter is light and fluffy- Roughly 3 minutes.
- Add the molasses and stir until just combined. Stir in the egg and vanilla extract and mix an additional 1 minute.
- Add half of the dry ingredients with half of the water. Stir on low until fully incorporated. Add the remaining dry ingredients and water and stir until fully incorporated.
- Spoon or scoop the batter into the prepared paper liners, filling 2/3 full.
- Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Tips and FAQs:
Cupcakes are my favorite to make, but sometimes they can be tricky. Here are a few of the most common questions and best tips I can answer and provide!
Tips for perfect Gingerbread Cupcakes:
- Be sure you use quality ingredients. Do not skimp on the vanilla extract (always use pure NOT imitation), and BUTTER. Flour, baking soda and powder are always ok as off brand.
- It is so important that you use room temperature ingredients. This ensures even mixing and a perfect batter. Make sure the egg and water are not chilled.
- Do not over mix your batter. I like to keep my mixer on low/medium speed. This keeps the butter from overheating and the ingredients incorporate evenly.
- Use a scoop (affiliate) for even cupcake sizes. This isn’t necessary but does make it super simple to keep your cupcakes even.
- This recipe would taste incredible with a salted caramel frosting!
Why did my cupcakes sink?
There are a few different reasons cupcakes sink during the baking process.
- Over mixing the batter. When you mix the batter too much you add more air into the batter. This causes sinking during the baking process. It is super important to keep your mixer on a lower speed and mix until just incorporated.
- Opening the oven door. Letting heat escape can cause the cupcakes to sink in the middle. I suggest only opening once maybe twice.
How long do cupcakes last?
Homemade cupcakes are best if eaten within 2-3 days. Technically, they will last longer in the refrigerator but you run the risk of them becoming stale.
Related Recipes:
I have SO MANY gingerbread inspired recipes on my site. But below are my ALL-TIME faves:
Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
This easy Gingerbread Cupcakes Recipe will be the hit of the holidays! Bold ginger with the perfect balance of molasses.
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1-3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup water
Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners and set aside.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl or large measuring cup.
3. Combine the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Use the paddle attachment to cream together, mixing at medium speed until the butter is light and fluffy- Roughly 3 minutes.
4. Add the molasses and stir until just combined. Stir in the egg and vanilla extract and mix an additional 1 minute.
5. Add half of the dry ingredients with half of the water. Stir on low until fully incorporated. Add the remaining dry ingredients and water and stir until fully incorporated.
6. Spoon or scoop the batter into the prepared paper liners, filling 2/3 full.
7. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
For the frosting:
1. Combine the cream cheese and the butter in a mixing bowl. Whip until fully combined, about 3 minutes.
2. Slowly stir in the powdered sugar. Once combined, add the vanilla and cinnamon.
3. Whip on medium speed for 5 minutes.
4. Spoon or pipe onto your cooled cupcakes.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 548Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 230mgCarbohydrates: 92gFiber: 2gSugar: 27gProtein: 10g
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