Gingerbread Cupcakes

Gingerbread cupcakes are the perfect cupcake recipe to make this holiday season. Moist, spiced cupcakes are topped with sweet cinnamon buttercream frosting.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 17

Resting Time 30

Total Time 1 2

Servings cupcakes

Author Heather

Ingredients

Cupcakes

½ cup (100 g) vegetable oil
½ cup (107 g) brown sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (170 g) molasses use an "unsulphured" molasses like Grandma's Brand
½ cup whole milk room temperature
1 ½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt

Frosting

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter room temperature
4 cups (456 g) confectioner's sugar sifted/whisked to remove lumps
⅓ cup (76 g) heavy cream cold
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners and set aside.
In a large bowl, wet ingredients: vegetable oil, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, molasses, and whole milk. Stir until ingredients are fully incorporated. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, add dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Whisk to remove any clumps.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until just combined (do not overmix the batter).
Divide batter between 12 cupcake tins, filling to about ⅔ full. Bake for about 17 to 19 minutes, or until the tops pop back when gently pressed (or toothpick comes out clean or with dry crumbs, not wet batter).
Transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

In a large bowl, add room temperature butter and beat with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until creamy, about 1 minute.
Add confectioner's sugar one cup at a time and slowly mix until ingredients are fully combined. Then, whip at high speed for 1-2 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
Add heavy cream, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt, then whip for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add additional heavy cream as needed to reach desired consistency.
Pipe or spread frosting with a knife onto cupcakes and serve.

Notes

Leftovers: Cupcakes will keep for 3-4 days at room temperature in a tightly sealed container.
Cool cupcakes first: Allow cupcakes to cool completely before removing from paper liners or adding frosting. If still warm, cupcakes will stick to the paper liners. Buttercream frosting melts between 90-95F and will melt if frosted onto a warm cupcake.
Frosting quantity: Recipe makes enough frosting for tall, dramatic piped frosting (as shown in the photos). For less frosting, cut frosting recipe in half.
More tips: Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking cake, based on reader comments and questions!

Nutrition