Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Gingerbread Cupcakes are topped with Cream Cheese Frosting and Maple Candied Cranberries! Moist, fluffy, and so flavorful, these are a holiday classic! And the perfect crowd-pleasing holiday dessert recipe for your next party!
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/3 cups (160 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon (5 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 3 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground all-spice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter melted
- 2 Tablespoons (10 grams) fresh ginger peeled and finely grated
- 3/4 cup (160 grams) dark brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsulphured molasses
- 1 Tablespoon (14 grams) canola oil
- 1/2 cup hot water freshly boiled
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3 and 1/2 cups (397 grams) confectioners' sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons milk
For the Maple Sugared Cranberries:
- 1/2 cup (227 grams) maple syrup
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) water
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1 cup (198 grams) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, ground ginger, baking powder, ground cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and baking soda. Set aside until needed.
- In a separate medium bowl, mix together the melted butter, fresh grated ginger, dark brown sugar, eggs, and molasses, and oil, whisking until very well combined, about 2 minutes.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Finally, pour in the hot water and whisk until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared paper liners, filling each one about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan, place on top of a wire cooling rack, for 15 minutes before carefully transferring the cupcakes to a cooling rack to cool completely.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy, about 4 minutes.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the confectioners' sugar, beating well after each addition. Add in the cinnamon, salt, and milk and beat smooth.
- Once all of the ingredients have been incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes.
- If the frosting appears too thick, add a little more milk; and if the frosting appears too thin, add a little more confectioners' sugar.
- Scrape the frosting into a large piping bag fitted with an open star tip and pipe on top of cooled cupcakes.
For the Maple Sugared Cranberries:
- In a medium-saucepan, combine the maple syrup and the water. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.
- Add in the cranberries and bring mixture back to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cranberries and transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
- Allow cranberries to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, OR until still slightly tacky to the touch. This could happen sooner, so check at 15 minutes.
- Add the granulated sugar to a wide, shallow bowl. Add a few cranberries at a time, and roll them in the sugar until they’re completely coated on all sides.
- Transfer the cranberries back to the wire rack. Repeat with all the cranberries. Leave to dry at room temperature for 2 hours before using.
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