Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting
Yield: 12cupcakes
Prep Time: 40 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 25 minutesminutes
0 minutesminutes
Total Time: 1 hourhour5 minutesminutes
4.7 from 12 ratings
Homemade Gingerbread Cupcakes topped with a super creamy cinnamon buttercream are full of festive cheer! Moist, soft and fluffy and filled with these will be a hit among your Christmas desserts this year.
Decorations of your choice - sprinkles, mini cookies, cachous
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
Stand mixer or electric hand beater
Regular muffin tray or silicon muffin tray
silicone spatula
Medium ice cream scoop or large cookie scoop
Piping bag and star shaped piping tip
Instructions
FOR THE GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES
Preheat oven to 180C / 320F (160C fan). Line a 12 hole muffin tray with large cupcake cases.
Sift together the flour, cornflour, baking powder, spices and salt and mix them well. Set aside.
Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each. Add the vanilla and treacle and beat well until all completely mixed.
Add half of the flour and beat on very low until almost combined. Add the milk and mix until just combined then add the remaining flour mix and mix with a spatula until just combined (make sure not to overmix)
Divide the batter between the 12 cupcake cases to roughly ⅔ full (an ice cream scoop or large cookie scoop makes this easy) and bake for 18-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out with a crumb or two (they will continue to cook with residual heat once removed from the oven) - notes.
Place the cupcakes on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
FOR THE CINNAMON BUTTERCREAM
While the cupcakes are in the oven, you can begin the cinnamon buttercream. In a small saucepan whisk together the milk, flour and vanilla until smooth. Heat over low heat for a few minutes until it thickens to a very thick paste.
Pour the paste into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap making sure the plastic wrap is touching the paste (this will stop the top from forming a skin), then allow to cool to room temperature. You can speed this up by putting it in the fridge but make sure it's room temp, not cold, when you use it.
Once the paste is completely cool, beat together the butter and sugar until really creamy (about 5 minutes). Make sure to regularly scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the cinnamon and salt and beat together.
Now add the paste, 1 large spoonful at a time and beating to combine between each. Finally, beat for 5-7 minutes. If it looks like it separates at the start, don't worry, keep on beating and it will beat up into an almost whipped cream consistency. Scrape down the sides from time to time.
Transfer your cinnamon buttercream to a piping bag with a star piping tip attached. Pipe onto the cooled cupcakes and decorate with gingerbread cookies or sprinkles.
Notes
I use an Australian standard 20ml tablespoon (= 4 teaspoons worldwide)
For best results you should always weigh ingredients like flour and sugar. Kitchen scales are relatively cheap but if you can’t weigh the ingredients, use the spoon and level method (don’t scoop).
All ovens vary. What takes 22 minutes in my oven may take 20 or 24 in yours. Always check your cupcakes for doneness 2-3 minutes before the recipe suggests.
I use cornstarch a lot in my baking. The combination of cornflour (cornstarch) and plain flour (all purpose) is equivalent to cake flour, so fee free to use that in place of both if you prefer.
I use cupcake liners that are roughly ½ cup volume. If you use smaller liners, the recipe will make more cupcakes. The important part is to fill them no more than ⅔ full.
Baking time will depend on the type of muffin tin you use (I find my silicone trays take longer to bake than a regular metal muffin tin) and also the size of your cupcake cases, so just check regularly from the 18 minute mark.
Have you tried this recipe?Don't forget to leave a rating and comment below and let me know how it was! I love hearing from you. Nutrition information is approximate and derived from an online calculator. The brands you use may cause variations.