Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting. A proposed dozen molasses-ginger cupcakes topped with a measured cinnamon cream-cheese frosting after cooling. The formula and timing below are working estimates for a future kitchen trial, not a claim that a batch has been made.

Jump to ingredients · Jump to method

A small-batch holiday cupcake

These cupcakes put ginger, cinnamon and a little clove into a molasses batter, then add cinnamon again in a cream-cheese frosting. The cake should read as gingerbread rather than plain spice cake; the frosting is a modest swirl so it does not bury the crumb. One standard muffin tin makes the proposed dozen.

This is a new working formula, not a tested bake. Molasses strength, flour measuring and liner size can change rise and sweetness. The one-hour-thirty-seven-minute total includes a full cool before frosting; warm cupcakes would melt the topping.

Know your molasses and dairy

Use unsulfured molasses, not strongly bitter blackstrap, at one-third cup. Brown sugar adds sweetness separately. Buttermilk and a teaspoon baking soda are the proposed pair for a tender batter; replacing buttermilk with plain water changes the acidity and the leavening balance.

Ground ginger leads at one-and-a-half teaspoons; cinnamon is measured separately for cake and frosting. The clove is only an eighth teaspoon. Do not add a vague 'gingerbread spice' blend on top unless its contents and amount are documented, because that changes the flavor and possibly the baking behavior.

Four ounces block cream cheese, four tablespoons butter and one-and-a-half cups confectioners' sugar make a restrained frosting, not a huge tower. Keep the two butter and vanilla measures separate in prep so the cake batter does not lose its share. Wheat, egg and milk are present.

Ingredients for 12 cupcakes

Step-by-step method

1. Heat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin. Whisk 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/8 tsp cloves and 1/4 tsp fine salt.
2. In another bowl whisk 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1/3 cup unsulfured molasses, 6 tbsp cooled melted butter, 1 egg, 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1 tsp vanilla. Fold the dry ingredients into wet just until no flour streaks remain. Divide evenly among twelve liners, about two-thirds full.
3. Bake 18–22 minutes until the centers spring back and a toothpick comes out without wet batter. Cool in pan about 5 minutes, then on a rack until completely cool, approximately 45 minutes overall.
4. Beat 4 oz softened block cream cheese and 4 tbsp softened butter until smooth. Beat in 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Spread or pipe a modest amount over each cooled cupcake. Refrigerate frosted cupcakes promptly; test batter rise, frosting amount and actual yield.

Mix without toughening

Whisk the dry flour, spices, salt and soda evenly. In a second bowl combine sugar, molasses, cooled melted butter, egg, buttermilk and vanilla. Stir dry into wet only until the flour disappears. Overmixing a flour batter can make a tight cupcake rather than a soft gingerbread crumb.

Divide batter among twelve liners about two-thirds full. Bake at 350°F around eighteen to twenty-two minutes. Check spring and use a toothpick for wet batter; don't rely on a dark molasses color to judge doneness. Cool on a rack until no warmth remains at the center before frosting.

Beat softened cream cheese and butter smooth before adding sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. A small spatula swirl or piping bag can portion the frosting across all twelve. The final photo and recipe card should both show cinnamon cream-cheese topping; a plain buttercream would need a revised formula.

Troubleshoot before the party

A sunken center might reflect underbaking, overfilled liners or leavener changes. Record the actual batter height and timing in a trial. Dry edges can come from a long bake or a hot pan left around the cakes while they cool; move them to a rack after a short pan rest.

Runny frosting may mean warm cream cheese, warm cupcakes or a different spread-style cheese. Chill the frosting briefly after mixing if needed, but do not hide an unmeasured extra cup of sugar in a published card. If the frosting tastes too sweet, rebalance a measured second batch.

King Arthur Baking has a gingerbread cupcake formula with a different amount of molasses, flour and frosting. This is a separately written, buttermilk-based trial, not their text or an endorsement by their test kitchen.

Serving and storing

A cup of tea or coffee balances a spiced cupcake. Chefly's chocolate-orange layer cake is a separate, already published celebration dessert and should remain its own URL. For a holiday assortment, choose either cake or cupcakes based on serving format rather than calling them substitutes with identical ingredients.

Because the frosting contains cream cheese, refrigerate frosted cupcakes promptly and protect them from drying. Their exact best-quality window and how long to temper before serving need a kitchen and storage trial. No nutrition calculation is attached to this still-unverified cake and frosting.

Questions about the topping

Can I frost while cupcakes are warm?

No. The cream-cheese mixture can soften and slide; cool completely first.

Can I use blackstrap molasses?

It is more bitter than the unsulfured molasses specified here and needs a new sweetness test.

Can the frosting be piped?

Possibly if the measured mixture holds shape. Test consistency and portioning so all twelve cupcakes get the amount in the card.

Further reading and related Chefly recipes: King Arthur Baking's gingerbread cupcake method; Chefly chocolate-orange layer cake. These are relevant references and other dishes, not evidence that this proposed formula was tested.

Recipe-card handoff — preview, not a native plugin card

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting. Category: Cupcakes. 12 cupcakes. Prep approximately 30 minutes; cooking approximately 22 minutes; additional cooling/chilling approximately 45 minutes; total approximately 97 minutes excluding preheat. Not kitchen-tested; nutrition not calculated.

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour; 1 1/2 teaspoons Ground ginger; 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon, for batter; 1 teaspoon Baking soda; 1/8 teaspoon Ground cloves; 1/4 teaspoon Fine salt; 1/2 cup Light brown sugar; 1/3 cup Unsulfured molasses; 6 tablespoons Unsalted butter, melted, for batter; 1 egg Large egg; 1/2 cup Buttermilk; 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract, for batter; 4 ounces Block cream cheese, softened; 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter, softened, for frosting; 1 1/2 cups Confectioners' sugar; 1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon, for frosting; 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract, for frosting.

Instructions: Heat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin. Whisk 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/8 tsp cloves and 1/4 tsp fine salt. In another bowl whisk 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1/3 cup unsulfured molasses, 6 tbsp cooled melted butter, 1 egg, 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1 tsp vanilla. Fold the dry ingredients into wet just until no flour streaks remain. Divide evenly among twelve liners, about two-thirds full. Bake 18–22 minutes until the centers spring back and a toothpick comes out without wet batter. Cool in pan about 5 minutes, then on a rack until completely cool, approximately 45 minutes overall. Beat 4 oz softened block cream cheese and 4 tbsp softened butter until smooth. Beat in 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Spread or pipe a modest amount over each cooled cupcake. Refrigerate frosted cupcakes promptly; test batter rise, frosting amount and actual yield.

Allergens: Wheat; Egg; Milk; Check molasses and packaged ingredients for cross-contact. Review packaged ingredients and cross-contact before serving.

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting

---

• Author: Maya Singh
• Total Time: 97 minutes
• Yield: 12 servings 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Twelve gingerbread cupcakes with a modest cinnamon cream-cheese frosting.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon, for batter
• 1 teaspoon Baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon Ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon Fine salt
• 1/2 cup Light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup Unsulfured molasses
• 6 tablespoons Unsalted butter, melted, for batter
• 1 egg Large egg
• 1/2 cup Buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract, for batter
• 4 ounces Block cream cheese, softened
• 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter, softened, for frosting
• 1 1/2 cups Confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon, for frosting
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract, for frosting

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin. Whisk 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/8 tsp cloves and 1/4 tsp fine salt.
2. In another bowl whisk 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1/3 cup unsulfured molasses, 6 tbsp cooled melted butter, 1 egg, 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1 tsp vanilla. Fold the dry ingredients into wet just until no flour streaks remain. Divide evenly among twelve liners, about two-thirds full.
3. Bake 18–22 minutes until the centers spring back and a toothpick comes out without wet batter. Cool in pan about 5 minutes, then on a rack until completely cool, approximately 45 minutes overall.
4. Beat 4 oz softened block cream cheese and 4 tbsp softened butter until smooth. Beat in 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Spread or pipe a modest amount over each cooled cupcake. Refrigerate frosted cupcakes promptly; test batter rise, frosting amount and actual yield.

Notes

Recipe-development draft; not kitchen-tested. Timing and yield are estimates. Nutrition has not been calculated.

Additional chilling, resting or cooling time: 45 minutes, included in the total.

Untested estimate: cupcake bake about 18–22 minutes at 350°F; cool approximately 45 minutes before frosting. Prep includes mixing batter and frosting; preheat excluded.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Chilling, resting or cooling: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 22 minutes
• Category: Cupcakes

Nutrition

• Serving Size: One frosted cupcake