Whats Cookin – Gingerbread Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream

December Recipe 2025…

The holiday season is a wonderful time to do some baking! These gingerbread cupcakes are perfectly flavored with warm gingerbread spices and deliciously paired with chocolate buttercream frosting. This easy recipe is a great festive treat to share with the ones you love.

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream

Makes: 1 dozen regular sized cupcakes or about 3 dozen mini cupcakes
Prep: 15 minutes || Bake: 16 minutes || Total Time: 31 minutes

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 6 T butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 11/3 cups flour
• 11/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 3/4 cup water, cold

For the buttercream*:

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 6-8 T heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 T vanilla

*These frosting ingredient amounts are just a basic starting point; feel free to add more or less of the ingredients to suit your preference for texture and taste.

Directions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tin with cupcake liners, set aside.

Step 2: Add softened butter to a large bowl and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Slowly add in the granulated and brown sugars until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula, then beat some more until butter and sugar become fluffy. Add in the egg and egg yolk one at a time, beating well until combined. Lastly, beat in the molasses and vanilla.

Step 3: In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Alternately add the flour mixture and water slowly to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until just combined.

Step 4: Add the cupcake batter to the cupcake liners filling them about 2/3 full. Bake mini cupcakes for 10-12 minutes and regular sized cupcakes for 16-18 minutes at 350 degrees. To make sure the cupcakes are fully baked, test to see if they spring back when you touch them with your finger or insert a toothpick into the center and if it comes out clean they are done. Remove from the oven and immediately remove cupcakes from the baking tin and place them on a cooling rack to cool.

Step 5: While the cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting by adding the butter and vanilla to a medium sized bowl and beat until combined. Once combined, slowly and alternately add in the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and heavy whipping cream until you’ve reached a thick, fluffy texture that holds its shape and is able to be easily spread or piped. Feel free to add more of the ingredients depending on what type of taste and texture you prefer. (Tip: if the buttercream is too wet, add more powdered sugar; if it’s too dry, add more whipping cream.)

Step 6: Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, frost them with a knife or use a piping bag with a piping tip and top with some sprinkles, if desired. Cupcakes will keep well and stay moist in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. Enjoy!