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Gingerbread Cupcakes | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | Enjoy the marvelous flavors of #molasses & #ginger in these luscious #GingerbreadCupcakes. These #cupcakes have a terrific #caramel #icing that will have you drooling! Wonderful for #Thanksgiving or #Christmas dinner, #holiday, office or #tailgating parties. #Gingerbread

Gingerbread Cupcakes

Teresa Ambra
The essence of molasses and ginger will permeate your house when baking these wonderful Gingerbread Cupcakes. The Caramel Icing puts these irresistible cupcakes over the top. Excellent option for Fall baking, Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Day, or even tailgating parties and potlucks. No one will be able to stay out of them!
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 23 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 3 minutes
Course Cakes and Cheesecakes, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 19
Calories 341 kcal

Equipment

  • Two 12-tin regular-sized muffin tins (you will need only 19 slots)
  • 1 large mixing bowl
  • 1 medium mixing bowl
  • 1 medium saucepan
  • 1 electric mixer
  • 1 whisk (or use electric mixer)
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • 1 table knife (to spread icing)
  • measuring spoons
  • measuring cups
  • 1 wire cooling rack
  • 19 paper liners

Ingredients
  

CUPCAKES:

  • 1/2 cup avocado oil or canola oil
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens baked goods)
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1 cup half-and-half cream

CARAMEL FROSTING:

  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick)
  • 1/4 cup half-and-half cream
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (see note below)

Instructions
 

CUPCAKES:

  • Line 19 regular sized muffin tins with paper liners.
  • Spray each liner with cooking spray.
  • Preheat oven to 400º.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil until well combined.
  • Add molasses and egg and beat again.
  • In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger.
  • Stir well so spices are well incorporated with the flour.
  • Add flour mixture to molasses mixture alternately with half-and-half.
  • Spoon cake batter into prepared muffin tins about ¾ to 7/8 full.
  • Bake at 400º about 17-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  • Cool cupcakes in pan about 10 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack.
  • Frost with Caramel Frosting.

CARAMEL FROSTING:

  • Combine brown sugar, butter and half-and-half in a saucepan over medium heat.
  • Bring mixture to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to low.
  • Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, or until mixture has thickened.
  • Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
  • Cool mixture to lukewarm.
  • Gradually add powdered sugar to mixture and beat with an electric mixer until frosting reaches desired consistency.
  • If necessary, add a teaspoon or two of half-and-half to reach desired consistency.
  • Frost each cupcake with about two to three tablespoons of frosting. 

Notes

NOTE: I tried several different amounts of powdered sugar and found that between 1 to 1 ½ cups was just about right. Any more and the icing becomes too thick and is hard to spread. The icing also hardens up and becomes fudge-like if you use too much powdered sugar.
 
NOTE: If icing gets too thick (and it will thicken as it sets out), add a few drops of half-and-half until the consistency is easier to spread).
 
NOTE: While I used a whisk, mixing the powdered sugar with an electric mixer (for the icing) will ensure no small lumps remain in the icing. 
 
Recipe inspired from Taste of Home.
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 341kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 3gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 217mgPotassium: 205mgFiber: 1gSugar: 39gVitamin A: 221IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 2mg
Keyword cake, cupcakes, dessert, ginger, gingerbread, molasses
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