Gingerbread Cupcakes Cream Cheese (Printable Version)

Moist spiced cupcakes with tangy cream cheese frosting, perfect for festive or cozy moments.

# What You Need:

→ Cupcakes

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
11 - 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
12 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 - 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature

→ Cream Cheese Frosting

15 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
16 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
17 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
18 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
19 - Pinch of salt

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Mix in molasses, then beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined to avoid overmixing.
06 - Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
07 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until fluffy. Blend in vanilla and salt.
09 - Once cupcakes are fully cooled, frost them with the cream cheese frosting and decorate as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The deep molasses flavor paired with aromatic spices creates a cozy complexity that feels like a secret handshake between you and everyone who tastes them
  • Cream cheese frosting cuts through the richness perfectly, making these feel special without being fussy
  • They come together in less than an hour from start to finish, which means you can pull off looking like a kitchen genius on a weeknight
02 -
  • Cooling completely is non-negotiable—if you frost warm cupcakes, the frosting slides right off and becomes greasy instead of staying fluffy and spreadable
  • Brown sugar versus white sugar makes a real difference here. Brown sugar has molasses already in it, which deepens the spice notes and adds moisture. Don't swap them one-to-one without expecting different results
  • The alternating method for adding dry and wet ingredients prevents overmixing and dense cupcakes—it's a technique that works for almost every cake and muffin, so master it here
03 -
  • Use an ice cream scoop to divide batter evenly among liners—this ensures even baking and makes the cupcakes look intentional instead of homemade-lopsided
  • If your cream cheese is too soft or too cold, the frosting will be either greasy or lumpy. Softened means it leaves a slight impression when you press your finger in, like slightly yielding butter
  • The spices are the star here, so don't use spice blends like pumpkin pie spice unless that's all you have. Individual spices taste fresher and let you adjust the balance to your preference

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