Easy Gingerbread Cupcakes are supermoist, and so flavorful, covered in a wonderfully spiced cream cheese icing! Perfect for every holiday celebration!
These Easy Gingerbread Cupcakes are a definite favorite around here, especially over the holidays. They can be decorated with anything and everything. From sparkles to sprinkles, in any color, to your favorite candies or even miniature store bought gingerbread men.
The miniature gingerbread men were little cookies that we put into each “snow pile” of icing. These were my son’s favorites when he was young.
He has always loved helping me in the kitchen and it brings a smile to my face just thinking about it right now! He doesn’t always make it home for the holidays but I still make these cupcakes in case he happens to pleasantly surprise us.
To me, nothing says holidays like gingerbread! I always remember loving to decorate various gingerbread shapes, including houses, for the holidays. I think I still do, actually I am pretty sure of it! I’ve always loved everything gingerbread and I love decorating various gingerbread shapes, including houses, for the holidays. The combination of cookie and candy is a treat I like to make my family this time of the year and let me tell you…they love it!!
I also have a recipe for Easy Stuffed Gingerbread Cookies which can be used to make just the cookies by themselves or include some delicious stuffing in between two of them. Another gingerbread recipe that is a favorite in my home.
The Best Gingerbread Cupcakes with Molasses
Now let’s talk about molasses and the important roll, I feel, it plays in any good gingerbread recipe. My husband thinks I have such a strong belief that molasses is the key to making the flavor right because I have always had gingerbread with molasses added. He is probably correct, I mean, he has to be right some of the time! ?
Regardless, I have had many gingerbread treats without molasses, and I found them quite enjoyable. But me, personally, I just love the flavor the molasses adds and I truly believe you are in for a treat with these Easy Gingerbread Cupcakes!
For me, the icing or frosting is just as important, and some would say more important, than the cupcake itself. Luckily, this cupcake is fluffy, soft and full of flavor.This cupcake is so fluffy, soft and full of flavor that you may want to eat it without the icing/frosting.
But I have to say, in my opinion, the icing is just as important (some would say more important) than the cupcake itself. This icing needs to be amazing and have a subtle flavor and it does.
It’s so good that my son’s friend used to lick the icing off and ask for more because it was just so good!
Best Buttercream Frosting for Gingerbread Cupcakes
Made by blending icing or powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter and molasses until smooth and creamy. The frosting or icing can be as thick or thin as you would like it, and as flavorful, by adding as much or as little molasses as you would like.
If you want a bolder flavor, add a little more molasses. My husband, who is a huge fan of molasses, uses more than I do when making this frosting.
I urge you to taste the icing as you go until you find the perfect amount of molasses for you, just add an additional teaspoon at a time until you find the perfect flavor!
Butter gives this buttercream icing a richer and creamier taste, while reducing the sweetness somewhat, than a simple frosting will. Generally, frosting uses shortening or cream cheese and no butter.
Tips for making the Best Buttercream Icing
Make sure your butter is at room temperature for the best results. Also, use a full fat, room temperature, cream cheese for more stability with the icing. Remember not to over mix or the cream cheese can start to appear grainy.
Ingredients in The Best Gingerbread Cupcakes
- flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- ginger
- allspice
- nutmeg
- cinnamon
- butter
- brown sugar
- egg
- molasses
- milk
Icing
- icing or powdered sugar
- cream cheese
- butter
- molasses
Decoration Options
- festive sprinkles or sparkles, any color
- your favorite candies
- miniature gingerbread cookies
How to make Easy Gingerbread Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon together. Stir and set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl.
Now add egg, molasses, and milk. Beat again until fully combined.
Time to add in your dry mixture. Add half and beat together. Add the other half and beat until smooth and fluffy.
Spoon or pipe into a lined muffin tin, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. *Hint* If want to pipe and you don’t have an icing bag, simply take a large freezer/resealable bag and fill with batter. Push batter into one of the bottom corners, twist and snip the tip off the bag.
Remove finished cupcakes and let fully cool on a wire rack before frosting.
Frosting or Icing
In a medium sized mixing bowl combine cream cheese, butter and molasses. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
Add icing or powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency. (This avoids the powdered sugar going everywhere when you start beating). If you need to add more icing/powdered sugar, do so at this point, adding ¼ cup at a time.
Now for the taste test. This will help you determine if you need to add more molasses or not (make sure that you have totally blended the icing before adding any more molasses). If you need to add more, then add a teaspoon or two. It’s very easy to add too much molasses so take it slow and be careful (1-2 teaspoons will generally be enough).
Beat icing on high speed until smooth and fluffy and transfer to icing bag or makeshift resealable piping bag.
Pipe icing onto cooled cupcakes, and top with your favorite decorations. We love sprinkles around here so that’s what we use!
Best Cupcake Recipes to Try
Cupcakes are a personal favorite of mine and I just can’t get enough of them, especially over the holidays! I love how pretty they look and more importantly how amazing they taste!
My favorite cupcake recipes are listed below and they are all so good I highly recommend them all!
I can’t be the only one who makes desserts depending on who is visiting and I have to admit that over the years I have developed some habits!
Usually, I prepare specific desserts as a result of requests for certain desserts when people visit. For years now, whenever certain cousins come over, I always make The Easiest Caramel Infused Chocolate Cupcakes.
They disappear lightening fast and even though they are adults (practically) now they still look forward to those cupcakes.
My son even looks for them once he knows they are coming because he knows I always make them for them. He is just lucky to live here and always eats one or two before they arrive!
I also do the same thing with my Chocolate Mint Cupcakes. I always make them for a couple special people in my life, every year over the holidays, and they know who they are!
Sometimes I just make these super simple Easy Cream Cheese Stuffed Cupcakes, stuffed with a wonderful cream cheese filling! Such a nice change with a little more effort.
My Caramel Apple Cupcakes, I have to admit, I make all year round. They are super easy and so tasty, perfect for any and every occasion. Frankly, any excuse will do!
Holiday Desserts to Try
Easy Stuffed Gingerbread Cookies
Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle Bites
Grandma’s Chocolate Eggnog Pudding Cake
Grandma’s Chocolate Orange Cake
Holiday Chocolate Dream Stuffed Cookie Cups
Holiday Surprise Basket Cookies
Stovetop Raisin Almond Rice Pudding
Easy Gingerbread Cupcakes Video
Easy Gingerbread Cupcakes
Equipment
- muffin pan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup butter, softened or 1 stick
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup molasses
- ½ cup milk
Decoration
- festive colored sprinkles or candies
Icing
- 2 cups powdered or icing sugar May need to add ¼ cup more at the end if you want thicker icing
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened or ½ brick
- ½ cup butter, softened or 1 stick
- 2 tablespoons molasses *can add 1 - 2 teaspoons more for heavier flavor
Instructions
- Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, with an electric mixer beat butter and brown sugar.
- Add in egg, molasses, and milk and beat again to fully combine.
- Now add in half your dry ingredient mixture Beat together and add in the rest. Beat again until fluffy and smooth.
- Spoon or pipe into a lined muffin tin.
- bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let fully cool before frosting.
Icing
- To make frosting, beat all ingredients together on high speed until smooth and fluffy. Be careful to add the powdered sugar slowly so it doesn't go everywhere.
- If you want a bolder flavor, you can add a little more molasses (1 - 2 teaspoons is enough).
- *If your icing isn’t as thick as you would like it, add in more powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time.
- Pipe icing onto cooled cupcakes, and top with your favorite sprinkle or candy.
Will try these as soon as I get the molasses when I go shopping in a few days.
Please let me know what you think when you do try them. I LOVE them and can’t wait to hear what you think! Hopefully you find some other recipes on this site that you enjoy just as much! All the best. Karin
I am sure going to try these tomorrow..looks so yummy?
Please let me know what you think of them if you have a moment. I would love to hear what you think. I love these cupcakes and hope you enjoy them as much as we do! Take care and all the best. Karin