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Gingerbread Cupcakes on a platter.
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4 from 2 votes

Gingerbread Cupcakes

These moist, flavorful Gingerbread Cupcakes from scratch are perfect for fall and winter!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time16 minutes
Additional Time45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 30 cupcakes
Author: Melissa and Bebe

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

  • 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened (170g)
  • 2 cups (400g) sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature (if in a hurry, place the eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes)
  • 3 cups cake flour (342g)
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder (8g)
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda (3g)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (3g)
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger (4g)
  • 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon (6g)
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg (1g)
  • 1 cup buttermilk (242g)(we use whole buttermilk)
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil (65g)
  • ½ cup molasses (160g) (We used Grandma's Molasses)

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (226g)
  • 16 oz Cream Cheese, softened softened (This is two 8 oz packages) Use full fat cream cheese.
  • 6 to 6 ½ cups 690g - 747g powdered sugar (start with 6 cups and adjust to your liking)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4g)

Instructions

For the Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350℉
  • Line cupcake pan(s) with paper liners.
  • In a separate bowl, combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk 30 seconds and set aside.
  • In another bowl, add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and molasses. Stir and set aside.
  • In the bowl of your mixer, mix the softened butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar and mix 3 to 5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy. 
  • Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until the yolk is blended in.
  • With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl alternately with the wet ingredients. Begin and end with the flour mixture (3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of wet ingredients). Mix until just blended, stopping as needed to scrape down the bowl. Be careful not to overmix.
  • Add batter to the cupcake liners in the pan(s).
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. This recipe makes about 30 cupcakes. (Bake times may vary, peek in at around the 15 minute mark).

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Add the softened butter to the bowl of your mixer, mix until smooth.
  • Cut the softened cream cheese into pieces and add to the butter, mixing until blended.
  • Add the vanilla extract
  • Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until well blended.
  • This frosting will pipe best if used while still a bit chilled. You can make it in advance, refrigerate and when ready to use let it soften slightly and remix. Do not microwave to soften. If the frosting becomes too soft while using just refrigerate the piping bag or bowl for a short while to firm it up.

Decorating the Cupcakes

  • Decorate however you like! We kept things simple and piped swirls onto the cupcakes using a disposable piping bag with the tip snipped away.
  • These cupcakes need to be refrigerated in an airtight container, cake dome, or sealed bakery box. However, for the very best flavor and texture, remove from the refrigerator a couple of hours before serving. This allows them time to warm and soften.

Notes

Substitution for Cake Flour: Using all purpose flour (plain in UK) to make Cake Flour: For each cup of flour in a recipe, remove 2 Tablespoons of flour and replace with 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour in the UK). This recipe has 3 cups of flour so you will measure out 3 cups of all purpose flour, remove 6 Tablespoons and replace with 6 Tablespoons cornstarch, whisk to blend.