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.
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.