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We had a holiday pot-luck lunch at work today and everyone signed up to bring a dish to share. I made these fun little Gingerbread Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting and got very positive reviews. I also picked up a few new readers … so welcome to SRFD! I love the spices in gingerbread; the warm cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and the tang of the molasses. These homemade cupcakes are easy to make, and just for fun, I topped them with a tiny gingerbread cookie using THIS recipe.
Gingerbread Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting and gingerbread cookies – a real crowd pleaser!
The hardest part was coming up with a frosting that would compliment, and not smother, the gingerbread. I whipped up a lemon flavored cream cheese buttercream and that did the trick.
A couple of squirts of Royal Icing and a sprinkle of coarse sanding sugar, we’re good to go!
Don’t forget to PIN to your favorite holiday board!
Gingerbread Cupcakes with a Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup unsulphured molasses
- 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 8- ounce package cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 5 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 teaspoons milk as needed
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing until the yolk disappears. Add the water and molasses. The mixture will appear curdled, this is normal. Mix on low 1-2 minutes.
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice.
- With the mixer set on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and molasses a little at a time until combined. Once incorporated, beat on medium for 2 minutes.
- Fill paper-lined muffins cups two-thirds full and bake for 20-23 minutes for until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan, then cool on a wire rack. Frost as desired.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a medium mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, butter, lemon zest and vanilla. Blend until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, blending after each addition.
- Add 1 teaspoon of milk and blend for desired consistency. Add additional milk as needed, 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Frost the cupcakes as desired. Store cupcakes and left over frosting in refrigerator. Remove cupcakes to room temperature 2 hours before serving.
Recipe Notes
- Gingerbread Cupcakes adapted from a recipe by Nancy Beckman, Taste of Home.
Nutrition
Each year during the Christmas holidays, our local volunteer fire department comes through the neighborhood with sirens and lights and Santa on top! Elves (firemen) share candy with the kids and all our neighbors run outside to wave at Santa. When I hear the sirens I don’t think about fire or emergencies, I suddenly turn into a 6 year old girl that can’t wait to get a glimpse of Santa! Isn’t that so cool? I love this time of year! I hope your baking and wrapping are going well. I still have shopping and wrapping to do but hope the baking is winding down. My hands are in terrible shape from washing dishes, I only have one semi-serious burn, and still have all ten fingers. It’s a good year!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Tricia
Daniela says
I think these are one of the cutest Christmas cupcakes I’ve seen in a long time.
And the combination of ginger and lemon is a perfect match.
Happy 2015, Tricia!
Tricia Buice says
To you too Daniela! Hope you had wonderful holidays and best wishes in 2015.
2 Sisters Recipes...by Anna and Liz says
OH Tricia these cupcakes and cookies are ADORABLE! and as always you photos are unsurpassed!
LOve you! Have a Merry Christmas! xoxo Anna and Liz
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
These holiday flavoured cupcakes are so lovely, Tricia. I love that gingerbread biscuit topping..so adorable and festive.
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Angie! Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Wendy says
These are so pretty, Tricia! Gingerbread is my favorite and I can’t get enough of it. Gingerbread cookies, loaf, cake, and now these lovely little cupcakes! What a wonderful way to decorate them with cookie snowflakes. Since snowflakes are a winter motif, we can eat these all winter long, right?! I plan to. 🙂
Tricia Buice says
All winter long Wendy – sounds like a plan to me! Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Betty says
I love gingerbread with lemon! These cupcakes sound delicious and are a work of art with those cute little snowflakes on top. 🙂
Tricia Buice says
Aww thanks Betty! Hope you enjoy your winter break and maybe you can enjoy some gingerbread cupcakes!
Becky Green says
These cupcakes sound WONDERFUL, Tricia! And my hands are getting where yours are! LOL LOTION! LOTION! LOTION! (I have to tell our daughter this all the time in this cold weather!) AND, what a NICE THING for your Fire Dept. to do this for the kids in the neighborhood! (Especially, when there are Grinches about…!) LOL I LOOOOVE “Tradition!” ;D DEFINATLY, will have to try these cupcakes!:)
Tricia Buice says
I agree Becky – lotion, lotion, lotion – hope you enjoy these cupcakes!
cheri says
Hi Tricia, these are so beautiful, love the frosting and the snowflake topper!
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Cheri – they were fun to make and fun to share!
sue|theviewfromgreatisland says
I think lemon and gingerbread is such a great combination…I have a favorite cookie from Britain that is a lemon filled gingerbread sandwich cookie, yum! But the best part of these cupcakes has to be those mini cookies on top— they are adorable!
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Sue – love lemon and gingerbread – in muffins, cookies, cake or anything!
Monica says
Oh boy! Tricia, this looks incredible! I was just watching a show the other day and there were these lemon ginger cupcakes that looked really good and got me thinking about that combo of lemon and ginger! It makes total sense when I think about it – sort of like ginger lemon tea, for example. Your cupcakes must have stolen the show at the potluck. : ) They were lucky to have them and what a special treat to have the cookies on top. So, so pretty!
Tricia Buice says
Lemon and Gingerbread is a yummy combination – give it a try 🙂 I want some of your chocolate gingerbread cake – gosh it looks delicious!
Susan says
What an adorable combination! The cupcakes and frosting sound so delicious and the gingerbread cookie toppers are absolutely perfect.
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Susan – your cookies are fantastic! Hope you have a very Merry Christmas!
Kitchen Belleicious says
i mean I am 100% sure that taste phenomenal but I cant believe how amazing and beautiful you created them. The little snowflake topper is so cute and creative
Tricia Buice says
Aww thanks so much Jessica! Hope you have a very Merry Christmas!