Gingerbread Cupcakes {with Cream Cheese Frosting}

Published December 16, 2015. Updated March 11, 2020

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

Gingerbread Cupcakes – tender, fluffy cake is brimming with well spiced, deep molasses flavor, then it’s finished with a rich, tangy cream cheese frosting.

So fun and so festive! If you want to go all out finish them off with mini gingerbread men and Christmas sprinkles. 

Gingerbread Cupcakes

Gingerbread Cupcakes

Less than 10 days until Christmas! Are you ready for it? If you said yes you’re wrong, you haven’t made these cupcakes yet so once you do…then your ready for Christmas :).

These cupcakes have perfectly decadent flavor and they taste just like a gingerbread cookie!

Then you pair the flavor of gingerbread with a decadent cream cheese frosting you know good things are bound to happen. Cream cheese frosting would be good on anything – I mean if I could pipe a huge pile of it over my bowl of oatmeal in the morning without gaining pound after pound I would.

Gingerbread Cupcakes

For the gingerbread on these cupcakes I used these mini molds. They are so fun!

I also used a Wilton #1 round tip for piping – since it’s the tiniest I could find. Then the recipe I used is my Gingerbread Cookie recipe which also includes an icing recipe to go with it (keep in mind though since they are so tiny they will be more of a crisp cookie and not so soft and chewy).

Gingerbread Cupcakes

I only made a half batch but I still got tons of baby gingies. My kids couldn’t get over them!

Who am I kidding? I couldn’t get over them either!

I love everything tiny so I think baby gingerbread men will be a new Christmas tradition around here.

And of course if I’m going to be making them again they need these decadent cupcakes to go with them! So much fun and deliciousness together in one cute cupcake!

Gingerbread Cupcakes | Cooking Classy

More Gingerbread Recipes to Try!

Gingerbread Cupcakes | Cooking Classy

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

5 from 6 votes

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

A perfectly fun and festive gingerbread cupcake! Tender, fluffy cake is brimming with well spiced, deep molasses flavor, then it's finished with a rich, tangy cream cheese frosting. If you want to go all out finish them off with mini gingerbread men and Christmas sprinkles.
Servings: 12
Prep35 minutes
Cook20 minutes
Ready in: 55 minutes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

Frosting

Instructions

  • For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and lightly spray liners and top of pan with non-stick cooking spray. 
  • In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment whip brown sugar and butter until pale and fluffy. 
  • Mix in vegetable oil then blend in eggs one at a time. Mix in molasses. 
  • Mix in flour mixture in 3 additions alternating with 2 additions of milk between (mix just until combined after each addition).
  • Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl and fold batter.
  • Divide mixture among 12 paper lined muffin cups filling each 2/3 full. 
  • Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean, about 19 - 22 minutes. 
  • Cool in pan several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool (after about 10 minutes I recommend letting them continue to cool in an airtight container so they don't dry). 
  • Once cool frost with cream cheese frosting. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator then let rest at room temp about 20 minutes before serving.
  • For the frosting:
  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment whip together butter and cream cheese until smooth. 
  • Add vanilla and powdered sugar and mix until light and fluffy*. 

Notes

  • *If frosting is slightly runny simply freeze in 3 minute increments, whipping again with mixer between increments until desired consistency is reached.
  • Recipe inspired by King Arthur Flour
Nutrition Facts
Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Amount Per Serving
Calories 484 Calories from Fat 216
% Daily Value*
Fat 24g37%
Saturated Fat 15g94%
Cholesterol 79mg26%
Sodium 233mg10%
Potassium 234mg7%
Carbohydrates 64g21%
Sugar 48g53%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 655IU13%
Calcium 73mg7%
Iron 1.7mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.
This post contains affiliate links.