Gingerbread Cupcakes

Inspired by...Christmas!

If you haven't figured this out already, I love seasonal flavors. It's so much fun to make special recipes with unique flavors.  And gingerbread is definitely one of those flavors that just evokes thoughts of Santa and Christmas trees and general holiday goodness.

I found a recipe for gingerbread cupcakes on Pinterest from Creme de la Crumb a couple of years ago.  It's been on my baking bucket list ever since!  This weekend, I wanted to make a little treat for the staff at my apartment complex, and thought it was a perfect opportunity to try out this cupcake flavor.  

​After looking over the recipe, I decided to use the spice combination from this recipe in a Food Network Magazine spice cake recipe that I've found to be tried and true. (I can only handle so much experimentation at one time!). The cinnamon cream cheese frosting recipe is a combination of ideas too and worked just perfectly on these cupcakes. I loved gifting these little treats but was also happy to have a few extra cupcakes to save for myself :)

Recipe
Makes 12 regular-sized or 32-36 mini cupcakes

Cupcakes
Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 stick butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a medium sized bowl.
3. In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, molasses, sour cream, eggs and vanilla.
4. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
5. Scoop batter into pans, filling about 2/3 of the way.
6. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  About 12-14 minutes for mini cupcakes, 18-20 minutes for regular cupcakes.

Frosting
Ingredients

• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 1/4 cup butter (1/2 of a stick), softened at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ~2 tablespoons milk

Directions

1. Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth.
2. Add cinnamon, salt, and vanilla and blend together.
3. Add powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, beating to incorporate.  Add splashes of milk in between sugar additions to make frosting smooth.
4. Frost cooled cupcakes generously.
5. Enjoy!