Want the taste of gingerbread without the fuss of cookies? Make these Gingerbread Cupcakes! They’re topped with a layer of zesty lemon icing for the ideal (and EASY) holiday treat.
As much as I love gingerbread cookies, they can be a chore to make. The last time I made them I was trying to put together a gingerbread cookie nativity scene.
My mom’s old 1970 Kitchen-Aid (bought second hand and still works!) had a lot of time flipping the dough and I swear I could smell it overheating.
The whole experience pretty much put me off baking gingerbread, which is a shame as I love the taste so much.
Luckily, there is an alternative to the pain and hassle of baking gingerbread (homemade or not). GINGERBREAD CAKE.
Say hello to gingerbread cupcakes
Or in this case, gingerbread cupcakes. Lighter and easier than gingerbread cookies or gingerbread pies, these cupcakes still possess the sweet flavors of brown sugar and molasses, fragrant winter spices, and the snappy bite that comes from lots of ginger.
How to top your cupcakes
Drizzled with some lemon icing, the citrus aggressively complements the rich ginger-spice flavors of the dark gingerbread.
Feel free to add some dried cranberries or orange zest to the cupcake batter if you want to add a few other layers of flavor, but personally I like mine just with little to take my mind off the gingerbread cookies.
Can’t get enough gingerbread cookies?
- Gingerbread with triple ginger
- Gingerbread Man Cookies
- Gingerbread waffles
- How to make a gingerbread house
- Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
Gingerbread Cupcakes
ingredients
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1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
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1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
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1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
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1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
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1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/2 cup (1 stick unsalted butter)
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1/4 cup water
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1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
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1/2 cup unsulphured molasses (not Blackstrap)
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3 large eggs, room temperature
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1/4 cup grated ginger (on the small holes of a box grater or with a microplane)
- For the lemon glaze:
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1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
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2 teaspoons lemon juice
method
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Preheat oven to 350°F:
Line a 12 cup muffin pan with muffin liners.
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Make the cupcake batter:
In a small bowl, melt the butter and water in the microwave and cover the top with plastic wrap (in case it splatters). In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, and dry spices.
In a third large bowl, beat together the molasses and brown sugar by hand with a hand mixer or with a stand mixer until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each.
Slowly stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Add the butter mixture and grated ginger and stir until smooth. Batter will be runny.
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Fill the cupcake liners:
Spoon the batter into the muffin cups and fill them about 3/4 full.
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Bake:
Bake the cupcakes for 12 to 14 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
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Cool down completely:
Let them cool in the muffin tin for a minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Top with frosting:
Mix the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a bowl and stir until smooth. Leave to stiffen for 4 minutes. Once the cupcakes have cooled, pour the frosting over the cupcakes and allow to set.
