Gingerbread cupcakes recipe

Spiced with cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg, these gingerbread cupcakes are filled with a warming flavour.

The soft, light vanilla buttercream really compliments these spiced gingerbread cupcakes. Top these cupcakes with gingerbread men and serve. It takes just 30 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to bake this cupcake recipe.

Ingredients

For the gingerbread cupcakes:

• 75g unsalted butter, softened
• 100g caster sugar
• 125ml black treacle
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 175g all-purpose flour, or plain flour
• 1tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 1/4tsp ground ginger
• 1tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2tsp ground allspice
• 1/2tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4tsp salt
• 1tsp baking soda
• 125ml cup hot milk

For the buttercream:

• 120g butter, softened
• 200g icing sugar, sifted
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 2tbsp milk

You'll also need:

• 12-hole muffin tin
• 12 cupcake cases
• Mini gingerbread men decorations

Method

1. For the gingerbread cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 175˚C/350˚F/Gas Mark 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake cases.
2. In a clean, large bowl cream the butter with the sugar. Add the treacle and the egg and egg yolk.
3. In a separate clean, large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt.
4. Dissolve the baking soda in the hot milk.
5. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in the hot milk mixture.
6. Spoon the batter evenly into the cases. Bake for 20 mins or until slightly springy to the touch.
7. Allow to cool for a few mins in the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
8. For the buttercream: Cream the butter in a clean, large bowl until smooth, gradually add the icing sugar and continue to cream until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and the milk and cream until combined.
9. Use a piping bag to pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes in an iced-rose design and decorate with a mini, edible gingerbread man, which you can get from the cake decorating section of most supermarkets.

Top tips for making gingerbread cupcakes

These cupcakes are topped with a classic buttercream icing but they would work just as well with a cream cheese frosting instead.

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