These Perfect Gingerbread Cupcakes start from a moist and perfectly spiced ginger batter that creates the most sensational holiday-ready ginger cupcakes you will ever have! If you love ginger flavors, definitely try my Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies, Gingerbread Cake and my Gingerbread Pancakes! And these Homemade Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes are super fun too!
Disclosure: I partnered with McCormick for this post, but all opinions expressed here are my own. I am grateful for authentic partnerships like this.
Perfect Gingerbread Cupcakes
Close your eyes and think fondly of the holiday season. Twinkling lights hung on trees, snowmen on front yards, and most importantly, festive family meals. Now think beyond the wonderful visuals and focus in on the scents.
Personally, I love filling my home with the smells of traditional baked goods during the holidays. The quintessential flavors and aromas help to make my home warm and comforting while also putting my whole family in the holiday spirit. One of my all-time favorite scents is ginger: spicy, slightly woody and zesty. That’s why this holiday season I’ve created these gingerbread cupcakes in partnership with McCormick that represent the flavors of my home!
How to Make Moist Ginger Cupcake Recipe Batter
These Gingerbread cupcakes are incredibly moist and packed with flavor. We all know and love the traditional gingerbread cookie because of the wonderful flavor and memories associated with each bite.
Adding both molasses and buttermilk create a wonderfully moist cupcake overall. Also make sure not to overbake your cupcakes as well.
Flavors in Gingerbread Cupcake Recipe
The secret to this recipe for gingerbread cupcakes and gingerbread pound cake? McCormick Ground Ginger and McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract. The peppery flavor of the ground ginger is a delicious balance of savory and sweet.
Its zesty taste is the perfect complement to the sweetness in a gingerbread related dessert. Combined with the perfect blend of other McCormick spices like cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg, it allows you to savor the warm, signature aroma and taste of the holidays.
Coupled with the wonderful flavor of McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract, they combine to create a beautifully spiced gingerbread cupcakes batter (or cake batter) that melts in your mouth and warms your belly. So, slip on an apron, and maybe some cozy slippers and enjoy the ease of these two tasty desserts.
For more holiday faves, check out these White Chocolate Ginger Cookies, these Perfect Shortbread Cookies with Chocolate or this Pineapple Rum Cake!
Gingerbread Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup molasses
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 2 tbsp McCormick ginger, ground
- 2 tsp McCormick cinnamon, ground
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp McCormick allspice, ground
- 1/2 tsp McCormick cloves, ground
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 tbsp McCormick Pure Vanilla extract
For the Buttercream
- 3 cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 9 cups confectioner's sugar
- 3 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp McCormick pure vanilla extract
- Ginger cookies with snowflakes
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and add liners to muffin pans and set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, add together butter, both sugars and molasses and beat on high speed until light and fluffy for about 5 minutes.
- Next add in eggs one at a time and mix until well incorporated.
- Slow mixer to lowest speed and carefully add flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, allspice, and cloves in increments and mix until well combined.
- Lastly, mix in buttermilk and vanilla until smooth.
- Scoop batter into liners 3/4s full and bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. These cupcakes don’t have a high dome, just fyi.
- Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool to room temperature before frosting.
For the Buttercream
- In your stand mixer, add butter and salt at medium low speed.
- Next, turn the mixer down to low and slowly add confectioners’ sugar in small portions until all is added, then turn the speed to medium high to combine.
- Add heavy cream, maple syrup, vanilla extract and mix until nice and fluffy.
- Pipe buttercream on room temperature cupcakes, decorate with ginger cookies and serve.
These are incredible thank you! The buttercream is probably the best I’ve ever made, i had to stop myself lol. Phenomenal taste, very excited to take them to work and show them off.