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Easy Gingerbread Cupcakes are made with cake mix and topped with fluffy, cinnamon cream cheese frosting – the perfect cupcake for Christmas!
Gingerbread Cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting are a new Christmas must-make. Our favorite Gingerbread Cookies are also a holiday hit!
Festive Holiday Cupcakes
Easy, perfect for Christmas, and with a delicious ginger molasses flavor – these Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting are the perfect Christmas cupcake recipe!
This Gingerbread Cupcake recipe starts with a box of spice cake mix. Instead of making the cupcakes according to the box instructions, we whisk in some extra ingredients to make them fabulous!
The Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting is the icing on the cake and the perfect complement to the gingerbread flavor!
Gingerbread cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 muffin pans with muffin papers.
DRY INGREDIENTS. In a large bowl, sift together the cake mix, ginger, and cinnamon.
WET INGREDIENTS. Using an electric mixer, beat in the molasses, oil, eggs, and milk until smooth.
BAKE. Spoon the batter into the 2 muffin tins (24 cupcakes total). Bake in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING. In a large bowl, beat the butter until soft. Beat in the cream cheese. Add in the cinnamon, then beat in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until the desired sweetness is reached.
FROST. Frost the cupcakes with a knife, or transfer the frosting to a large piping bag and pipe on the frosting.
Recipe Tips
Rounded tops. The cupcake liners should be about ⅔ full and not more than ¾ full. Adding too much batter causes the tops to overflow creating a mushroom-shaped cupcake. Use a cookie scoop to fill the cupcake tins to evenly distribute the batter and make less of a drippy mess.
Cool cupcakes. Allow the cupcakes to cool a little in the pan before letting them cool on a wire rack. Once completely cool, either frost or store them to be frosted later.
I recommend sifting the cake mix first to get out any lumps because it will make the cupcake batter whisk together more easily.
Cake mix. If you can’t find spice cake mix use a yellow cake mix (but not vanilla or white). If using yellow cake mix, I recommend using 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon allspice for the spices.
Perfect cupcakes.
- Over-mixing the batter can cause too many air bubbles which collapse in the oven leaving a dense cupcake.
- Be sure that you do not over bake otherwise the cupcakes will dry out.
- Use a stand mixer to make the cake batter, but a wire whisk works as well.
- The molasses and eggs contribute to making a soft and moist cupcake.
- If you don’t like cream cheese, add cinnamon to your favorite Buttercream Frosting.
Decorating tips
- Use a piping bag and frosting tip to pipe beautiful frosting swirls on top of your cupcakes.
- For only a thin layer of frosting on each cupcake, half the frosting recipe. But after trying the cinnamon cream cheese frosting, you’ll probably want a big swirl on top of each cupcake.
- Make miniature Gingerbread Cookies to stick in the frosting as extra decoration.
- Decorate with gingerbread man candies and holiday sprinkles.
Storing Info
STORE Gingerbread Cupcakes at room temp for a few hours, but refrigerate for up to 3-4 days to last longer. If already frosted with cream cheese frosting, keep them in the fridge so the dairy doesn’t go bad.
FREEZE. The easiest way to freeze these cupcakes is unfrosted. The cupcakes and frosting can both last in the freezer for 2-3 months. Thaw both before using.
To freeze frosted cupcakes, place the frosted cupcakes in the freezer until the frosting is solid. Wrap each cupcake with plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe container. To thaw, unwrap the cupcakes and let them come to room temperature.
for more Christmas treats:
- Christmas Tree Brownies
- Peppermint Bark Cheesecake
- Hot Cocoa Cheesecake Minis
- Peppermint Chocolate Delight
- Christmas Popcorn
Gingerbread Cupcake Recipe
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cupcakes
- 1 box spice cake mix
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3 large eggs
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting*
- 1 cup butter softened to room temperature
- 6 oz cream cheese use full fat
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Gingerbread Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 muffin pans with muffin papers.
- In a large bowl, sift together the cake mix, ginger, and cinnamon.
- Using an electric mixer, beat in the molasses, oil, eggs, and milk until smooth.
- Spoon the batter into the 2 muffin pans (you should have 24 cupcakes total).
- Bake in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until soft.
- Beat in the cream cheese.
- Add in the cinnamon. Then beat in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until the desired sweetness is reached.
- Frost the cupcakes with a knife, or transfer the frosting to a large piping bag and pipe on the frosting.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The first time I made this recipe, I forgot the milk! They tasted fine — but when I made them the second time — and remembered the milk, they tasted even better.
I prefer these unfrosted & called them gingerbread muffins. I’ll be serving them on Christmas morning.
I didn’t have any problem with them. They had a flat top but rose right to the edge of the baking liner. If I wanted to frost them, it would be perfect. Instead, I’m dusting the tops with some powdered sugar.
Thanks for the recipe!
Could this recipe apply to making a cake? Possibly a 6 inch?
Yes! It would make a 9×13 cake or two 9 inch or 8 inch rounds or even a bundt cake.
Amazing! Now I just need to figure out how to make my frosting t look as good as yours!
Perfect flavor! Spot on! Great texture. Mine did not rise like a regular cupcake. They spread out more like a muffin which gave a nice chewy edge, but not the shape I wanted for cupcakes. I used my own recipe for cream cheese buttercream for icing and it was perfect for the flavor. So delicious! Just wish they had risen differently…
Yum!! They are so light & fluffy & that cream cheese frosting with a hint of cinnamon is delicious!!
The best tasting cupcake! I really like the added spices. The perfect cupcake to serve for the holidays.
I made these and I am sorry to say they were not what I expected. On raising some sunk in the middle and the taste was a little too strong for me. I make lots of cupcakes and the recipe was a little disappointing. I followed the directions to the letter I may try them again just to see if it was me or the recipe. Sorry Paulette
I’m sorry, I wish I knew why. Thank you for trying them.
Maybe you forgot to sift the flour or overmixed the batter?
I’ve made the recipe 4 times and the results have been the same (except for when I forgot the milk!). Now I get all the ingredients out first, then start the recipe.
Mine came out super dark
These are the cutest cupcakes I’ve ever seen!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Thank you!!