Gingerbread Cupcakes

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

These Gingerbread Cupcakes are soft, moist, and packed with cozy holiday flavor from molasses, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. A bright lemon cream cheese frosting balances all those warm spices with just the right amount of sweet, tangy flavor.

They’re an old-fashioned holiday favorite that tastes every bit as festive as it looks. The cupcakes bake up tender and deeply spiced, while crystallized ginger and mini gingerbread cookies make an adorable finishing touch for Christmas parties, cookie trays, or holiday dessert tables.

If you love festive holiday baking, try my Red Velvet Cupcakes, Gingerbread Cake, and Chewy Ginger Cookies next.

✨ Before You Begin

✨ Use unsulfured molasses. It gives the cupcakes their deep, classic gingerbread flavor without the bitterness of blackstrap molasses.

✨ Don’t worry about the thin batter. Adding the boiling water makes the batter quite loose, and it may look slightly curdled at first. That’s completely normal.

✨ Expect flatter tops. These old-fashioned gingerbread cupcakes don’t bake up with tall domes and may even dip slightly in the center. They’re still wonderfully soft and moist.

✨ Cool completely before frosting. Even slightly warm cupcakes can melt the cream cheese frosting and make it difficult to spread or pipe.

✨ Plan for the frosting to chill. The lemon cream cheese frosting is intentionally soft and creamy. Give it at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator to firm up before frosting the cupcakes.

Ingredients + Key Notes

All-purpose flour: Measure carefully so the cupcakes stay soft and tender. For the best results, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the bag.

Molasses: Use unsulfured molasses, not blackstrap. It gives these cupcakes their signature deep, rich gingerbread flavor without becoming bitter.

Warm spices: Ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice create that classic gingerbread flavor. Make sure your spices are reasonably fresh for the best flavor.

Butter: Use unsalted butter softened to room temperature so it creams smoothly with the sugar.

Boiling water + baking soda: This old-fashioned gingerbread technique creates a thin batter and helps give the cupcakes their soft, tender texture. The mixture may look a little curdled when combined with the molasses mixture—that’s normal.

Cream cheese: Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese for the frosting. Avoid whipped or tub-style cream cheese, which can make the frosting too soft.

Lemon: Fresh lemon zest and juice brighten the cream cheese frosting and balance the rich molasses and warm spices. Zest the lemon before juicing it.

Crystallized ginger + mini gingerbread cookies: Optional, but they make a festive garnish and add another little pop of ginger flavor.

🥣 How to Make Gingerbread Cupcakes

Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and salt.

Cream the butter and sugar: Beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses and egg until smooth.

Add the boiling water: Stir the baking soda into the boiling water until dissolved, then slowly mix it into the molasses mixture. Don’t worry if the mixture looks thin or slightly curdled—it’s supposed to.

Finish the batter: Add the molasses mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until everything is combined.

Fill and bake: Divide the batter evenly among the lined muffin cups and bake at 350°F until the cupcakes spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Cool completely: Let the cupcakes cool briefly in the pan, then transfer them to a wire rack before frosting.

Make the frosting: Beat the butter until creamy, then add the cream cheese and beat just until smooth. Gradually mix in the powdered sugar, followed by the vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice.

Chill and decorate: Refrigerate the frosting for about 30 minutes, then spread or pipe it onto the completely cooled cupcakes. Garnish with crystallized ginger and mini gingerbread cookies, if desired.

⭐ Pro Tips

⭐ Skip the blackstrap molasses: Its strong, bitter flavor can overpower these cupcakes. Regular unsulfured molasses gives you that deep gingerbread flavor without the bitterness.

⭐ Don’t panic over the batter: It will be quite thin and may look slightly curdled after you add the boiling water. That’s exactly how it should look.

⭐ Mix just until combined: Once the flour goes in, avoid overmixing. Too much mixing can make the cupcakes tougher instead of soft and tender.

⭐ Don’t wait for tall domes: These gingerbread cupcakes bake up fairly flat and may dip slightly in the centers. That’s normal for this recipe, not a sign that something went wrong.

⭐ Watch the bake time: Gingerbread’s dark color makes it harder to judge doneness by sight. Check for a top that springs back lightly and a toothpick with a few moist crumbs.

⭐ Keep the frosting cool: Lemon cream cheese frosting is naturally soft. Chill it for at least 30 minutes before piping, and pop it back into the refrigerator if it becomes too soft while you work.

Frequently Asked Questions

◆ What kind of molasses is best for gingerbread cupcakes?

Use regular unsulfured molasses for a rich, classic gingerbread flavor. Avoid blackstrap molasses, which is much more bitter and can overpower the warm spices.

◆ Why is my gingerbread cupcake batter so thin?

That’s normal for this recipe. The boiling water creates a loose batter and helps give the cupcakes their soft, moist texture. The mixture may also look slightly curdled before the flour is incorporated.

◆ Why are my gingerbread cupcakes flat or slightly sunken?

These cupcakes naturally bake with fairly flat tops and may dip slightly in the center. It doesn’t mean anything went wrong—the texture should still be soft and tender.

◆ Can I make these without the lemon cream cheese frosting?

Absolutely. Leave out the lemon zest and juice for a classic cream cheese frosting. You can also pair the cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting or vanilla frosting.

Save Recipe!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Bring in the holidays with our Gingerbread Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting. Delicious - melt in your mouth and that Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting..!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Servings: 12

Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• ▢ 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoon dried ground cinger
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon dried ground cloves
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried ground allspice
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• ▢ 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• ▢ 1/2 cup sugar
• ▢ 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
• ▢ 1 large egg, at room temperature
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda

Frosting:

• ▢ 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• ▢ 2 teaspoon lemon juice
• ▢ mini gingerbread men cookies
• ▢ crystallized ginger, chopped

Instructions

• Prep the oven and pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
• Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and salt until evenly combined.
• Cream the butter and sugar. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
• Add the molasses and egg. Beat in the molasses and egg until smooth and well combined.
• Combine the hot water and baking soda. In a heatproof measuring cup, carefully stir the baking soda into the boiling water until completely dissolved.
• Finish the batter. With the mixer on low, slowly add the hot water mixture to the molasses mixture. The mixture may look thin or slightly curdled; this is normal. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low just until combined. Do not overmix.
• Fill the cupcake liners. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared liners, filling each about ⅔ full.
• Bake. Bake in the center of the oven for about 18--20 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. The cupcakes will be fairly flat and may dip slightly in the center—this is normal.
• Cool completely. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Make Frosting

• Beat the butter first. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
• Add the cream cheese. Add the softened cream cheese and beat on medium speed just until smooth and combined. Don’t overbeat, or the frosting can become too soft.
• Add the powdered sugar. With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar. Once incorporated, beat just until smooth.
• Add the flavorings. Beat in the vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice just until evenly combined. Avoid prolonged beating.
• Chill the frosting. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until firm enough to spread or pipe. If it still feels too soft for piping, refrigerate it for another 10–15 minutes.
• Frost the cupcakes. Make sure the cupcakes are completely cool before frosting. Spread or pipe the frosting over the cupcakes, then garnish with chopped crystallized ginger and/or mini gingerbread cookies, if desired.

Fans Also Made:

• 
  Impossible Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

RATE THIS RECIPE

Save Recipe!

Nutrition

Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 231mg | Potassium: 331mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 285IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 2.1mg

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I'D LOVE TO SEE!Tag @GonnaWantSeconds or #gonnawantseconds on Instagram!

© Gonna Want Seconds. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media/website/blog is strictly prohibited.

Pin

Share

Email