NOM NOM! These are so incredibly easy to make and filled with the beloved gingerbread flavor and a pop of lemon as a sweet surprise!
Dive into the holiday with this simple cupcake recipe alone or with the family. A fun way to celebrate the holiday magic!
Start with a pop of ginger in every bite with this gingerbread recipe, the only gingerbread cupcake recipe you will ever need. 🙂
The color reflects the combination and amount of spices throughout the batter. This recipe makes exactly 12 cupcakes. No batter wasted! Score!
In the last 5 minutes or so start on the lemon glaze.
I have let you in on a secret, I am not a lemon person, until recently! Turns out my family is lemon lovers. Baking lemon desserts and breads has brought me into lemon Heaven and I remain in my citrus world with almost all of my recipes. I taste the addiction! Not a bad one to have 😉
I guarantee you will adore the lemon flavor with the ginger. They are meant to be together. One tip I will give you is certain ingredients bring out the flavors in others. So if something is dark chocolate it balances sweetness regardless if you like dark chocolate or not. Flavors are there to balance, boost, and help!
Back to glaze (I want to in this sweetness). I like to remove my cupcakes from the pan, otherwise it is a hot mess! Literally! The cupcakes continue to bake the longer they sit int eh pan and that is the last thing you want!
Transfer to plate or cooling rack with a baking sheet underneath, and drizzle glaze straight over the warm cakes. The moisture locks in the flavors and soaks in the cupcakes.
Let these small bites cool to room temperature before frosting. Other wise your frosting might melt!
Add more zest to amp up the flavor or completely leave out. Want to be the hit of the party, bring these! You will have many friends by the end of the night!
Happy baking!
Gingerbread Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcake:
- 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil*
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
- 1/2 cup whole milk
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
For the frosting:
- 8-ounces cream cheese, softened
- 6 tablespoons lemon juice, 1-2 tablespoons reserved
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (optional)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Directions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 cup cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg together. Set aside.
- In a standing mixer fitted with whisk, or hand mixer, beat brown sugar and butter together until fluffy on medium-high.
- Reduce mixer to medium-low, add oil. Crack in eggs one at a time until completely combined after each egg.
- Pour in molasses and milk. Mix thoroughly, scraping the sides.
- Blend in half flour mixture into wet mixture. Then incorporating the rest. Mix until just combined.
- Stir with spatula the bottom and side to completely mix.
- Fill each cupcake line about 3/4, almost full. You will use all the batter.
- Bake 19 minutes.
- Meanwhile make the glaze.
For the glaze:
- Add powdered sugar and lemon juice together starting out with 3 tablespoons juice. Adding to thin out. This will be super thin as you want to just coat the top of cupcake, as seen in photo.
- Remove cupcakes from oven, let sit 1 minute in the pan.
- Transfer cupcakes to wire cooling rack or baking sheet.
- Take about 1/2- 3/4 tablespoon and glaze each cupcake while hot.
- Let sit to room temperature.
For the frosting:
- In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk, or a hand mixer, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar by the spoonful, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
- If too thick, ad a dash or reserved lemon juice. You want the frosting to hold its’ shape though, so be mindful of how much you add.
- Pipe or frost, top with sprinkle and a gingerbread man for extra fun!
*Substitute for olive oil
