Gingerbread Cupcakes | Cookies & Cups

What Makes These Gingerbread Cupcakes So Good?

With the festive season across the nook, I can’t wait to have these gingerbread cupcakes on repeat! These smooth, moist gingerbread cupcakes style quite a bit like my soft-baked gingerbread cookies, flavored with caramelized brown sugar and a touch of molasses. Right here’s what makes these fluffy gingerbread cupcakes so nice:

• Simple components. Nearly each ingredient in these cupcakes is a pantry staple, other than perhaps the molasses. Fortunately, I had a jar left over from my final batch of molasses cookies! In any case, every thing you want is simple to search out within the grocery retailer.
• They style similar to gingerbread! I really like how shut in taste these do-it-yourself cupcakes are to traditional gingerbread cookies. There’s loads of candy burnt caramel and heat spice in every fluffy chew. The tangy cream cheese frosting compliments the gingerbread completely!
• The perfect cream cheese frosting. Talking of frosting, I make the white chocolate cream cheese frosting with a field of white chocolate on the spot pudding combine. It’s a game-changer. The feel of the frosting is silky easy and it tastes prefer it got here from a bakery.
• Good for the vacations. If vacation cheer was a dessert, it could be a frosted gingerbread cupcake. They’re tremendous festive and simple to customise, you may embellish them any manner that you simply like.

Elements You’ll Want

These are some notes on the vital components on this gingerbread cupcakes recipe. Scroll to the printable recipe card beneath the submit for the complete recipe measurements and particulars.

For the Cupcakes

• Flour – All-purpose is finest.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda – Examine the dates on the packaging to verify your leavening is recent and never expired.
• Spices – Floor ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg, plus a pinch of salt. You may also substitute the person spices with pumpkin pie spice.
• Butter – Delivered to room temperature. You need to use salted or unsalted butter.
• Brown Sugar – Darkish brown sugar provides these cupcakes a richer, caramelized taste. Mild brown sugar works in a pinch. You may also comply with my tutorial on how to make brown sugar from granulated sugar.
• Molasses – I like to recommend common, medium, or darkish molasses for gingerbread. No matter you do, keep away from blackstrap molasses, which is way too bitter.
• Egg – Additionally at room temperature.

For the Frosting

• On the spot Pudding – I take advantage of one 3.5-ounce field of white chocolate on the spot pudding combine. You possibly can additionally use vanilla on the spot pudding.
• Milk – Be certain it’s chilly from the fridge.
• Powdered Sugar – Additionally referred to as confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar.
• Cream Cheese – You’ll wish to use a block of plain, full-fat cream cheese (not the type that is available in tubs).
• Cool Whip – Thawed beforehand.

How you can Make Gingerbread Cupcakes

The cream cheese frosting for these cupcakes wants to sit back for about an hour within the fridge earlier than you utilize it, so be certain to price range your time accordingly. I’ll generally get the frosting within the fridge first after which get began on the gingerbread cupcakes, or I’ll chill the frosting whereas the cupcakes cool to room temperature. It’s as much as you! 

Right here’s a fast have a look at the recipe steps, and you’ll discover printable directions within the recipe card on the backside of the submit.

Recipe Ideas

• Don’t overmeasure. It’s vital to measure components like flour appropriately, in any other case it adjustments the result of the cupcakes. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup, and degree off the highest with the again of a knife (relatively than scooping immediately from the bag). Even higher, use a kitchen scale!
• Alternate including the dry components with the recent water. Scorching water makes the cupcake batter simpler to combine and prevents lumps. Be certain so as to add the flour combination just a little at a time, including scorching water in between, beginning and ending with the dry combination.
• Don’t overfill the cupcake liners. I like to recommend filling every cupcake liner not more than ⅔ full. For those who’re utilizing a smaller pan, intention for ¾ full. For those who fill the liners too excessive, the gingerbread cupcakes would possibly overflow and/or deflate within the oven.

Extra Adorning Concepts

There’s multiple strategy to embellish a Christmassy gingerbread cupcake!

• Totally different frosting. These gingerbread cupcakes would additionally style nice frosted with vanilla buttercream, heritage frosting, or Swiss meringue buttercream.
• Cookie garnishes. Prime the frosted cupcakes with mini gingerbread males or broken-up gingersnaps. 
• Add sprinkles. Brighten up these cupcakes with festive vacation sprinkles. Attempt a crimson, white, and inexperienced Christmas combine or gold balls (dragees).
• Caramel drizzle. End every frosted cupcake with a drizzle of microwave caramel sauce. Simply ensure that the caramel is cool earlier than you drizzle it in order that it doesn’t soften the frosting.

How you can Retailer

• Refrigerate. The frosted gingerbread cupcakes may be saved lined and hermetic within the fridge for as much as 3 days. You may also retailer the unfrosted cupcakes and frost them earlier than serving.
• Freeze. The baked, unfrosted cupcakes may be frozen in a freezer bag or hermetic container for as much as 1 month. Thaw them within the fridge or at room temperature.