Gingerbread Cupcakes are an adorable holiday treat. The gingerbread is perfectly spiced and the cream cheese frosting is absolutely decadent.
I’m a little obsessed with these Woodland Gingerbread Cupcakes right now. I made them for a television segment I did here in Chicago this morning on FOX 32, sharing some easy make-ahead holiday recipes. This was definitely the hit of the segment and for good reason — they are so cute!
Perfect Holiday Flavors
You can probably guess that gingerbread is one of my favorite holiday flavors — a few weeks ago I shared my Gingerbread Pizzelle Cookie recipe, last year the kids and I baked and decorated the most amazing Gingerbread House Cake — but its been forever since I’ve made cupcakes. I used to make them all the time — actually if you do a search on this site I’m pretty sure you can find another gingerbread cupcake recipe from around 2008 or so.
In the last few years, I haven’t been doing as much baking and I’m a bit out of practice. So to make sure these were perfect, I consulted a pro. This recipe is based on one developed by Sally’s Baking Addiction. If you like to bake, you should definitely follow her. She is a baking wizard and I love to geek out on all of the baking science tidbits she sprinkles in with her recipes.
I did make some slight adjustments to her recipe, mainly because I wanted to bake my version in these adorable little baking cups — which are slightly deeper than a standard cupcake liner. So, instead of a full dozen, my recipe makes 8 absolutely perfect extra-deep cupcakes. If you want to make them just like mine, be sure to grab the cupcake liners off of Amazon.
Then I topped these Woodland Gingerbread Cupcakes with the most perfect and delicious cream cheese frosting. Its fluffy and rich and just the right amount of sweet. I used spreadable cream cheese in my recipe because it makes for a smoother frosting without having to wait for it to soften, but you can sub in regular brick cream cheese — just add in a bit of half & half if it seems too thick.
Finishing Touches
To finish these Woodland Gingerbread Cupcakes like I did, simply top each cupcake with a small sprig of fresh rosemary and a red cinnamon candy. These cupcakes can be prepared and stored in the fridge a couple of days in advance, but you might want to hold off on adding the candy until serving time, just to make sure the red color doesn’t bleed into the frosting.
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If you choose to make these, I’d love to see the results. Happy Holidays!
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Woodland Gingerbread Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes + cooling
- Total Time: 5 minute
- Yield: 8 – 12 cupcakes (see notes) 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
Gingerbread Cupcakes are an adorable holiday treat. The gingerbread has just the right amount of spice and the cream cheese frosting is absolutely decadent.
Ingredients
Cupcake Recipe
- 1/2 cup ( unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- Cream cheese frosting, fresh rosemary sprigs and cinnamon candies (optional for topping)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
- 4 ounces European-style or spreadable cream cheese (can substitute with 8 ounces block cream cheese)
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place 8 free-standing baking cups on a rimmed baking sheet or line 12-count muffin pan with standard cupcake liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until creamy. Beat in the egg until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the milk, molasses, and vanilla on medium speed. Mixture will not by fully combined and somewhat chunky.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice together until combined. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- If using free-standing baking cups, fill them halfway full. If using standard cupcake liners fill to 2/3 of the way full, no more. Bake free-standing baking cups for 25 minutes or standard cupcakes for 19-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- To prepare cream cheese frosting, combine butter and confectioner’s sugar in a large bowl using a stand mixer or hand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mixture will be dry and mealy in consistency. Add cream cheese and vanilla and increase mixer to high speed. Beat for an additional minute until frosting is smooth, light and fluffy.
- Frost cooled cupcakes immediately before serving. If desired, top each cupcake with a sprig of fresh rosemary and a cinnamon candy.
Notes
- Unfrosted cupcakes remain fresh covered tightly at room temperature for 2 days.
- Store frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Keywords: Woodland Gingerbread Cupcakes, Holiday Recipes
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Those are adorable & gingerbread is my favorite holiday flavor👍 Btw last week I made your goulash recipe, it was delicious. Have a Merry Christmas❤️🎄🍾
I’m so glad you liked the goulash recipe! Thats a family favorite. Merry Christmas to you as well!