Gingerbread Cupcakes with Eggnog Buttercream
Molasses and spice filled cupcakes baked moist and tender, topped with melt in your mouth eggnog buttercream with lots of eggnog flavor! These cupcakes are my new go to holiday recipe for bake sales, get-togethers or as gifts - and they always impress!
Servings 20 cupcakes
Calories 393kcal
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cupcakes
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup molasses
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup applesauce
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk whole or 2%
Eggnog Buttercream
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cup eggnog
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg preferrably fresh grated
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup confectioners sugar
Instructions
Gingerbread Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line cupcake tins with liners.
- In a medium bowl, mix the 2 ½ cups all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon all spice, ¼ teaspoons ground cloves, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Using the bowl of a standing mixer or a medium mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat 1 cup butter on medium high speed until pale and fluffy. Add ⅓ cup granulated sugar and ⅓ cup brown sugar and beat until incorporated. Repeat with the molasses. The mixture may appear curdled but everything will come together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you mix to incorporate all the ingredients evenly.
- Over medium speed, add ½ cup applesauce, 1 large egg, and 2 teaspoons vanilla, mixing after each addition.
- Reduce the speed to low and add the bowl of dry ingredients. Slowly add the remaining ½ cup milk, increasing the speed to medium as the dry ingredients incorporate. Beat until combined, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl when needed.
- Fill the cupcake holders ¾ of the way and bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Eggnog Buttercream
- In a medium sauce pan, combine the 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup all purpose flour, 1 ¼ cup eggnog, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Heat over medium heat, whisking frequently until the mixture thickens and begins to boil. The eggnog mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, almost as thick as gravy or a thin pudding.
- Transfer the eggnog mixture to a heatproof bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or until chilled throughout.
- Once the eggnog mixture is completely chilled, make the frosting. In a medium mixing bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a standing mixer, beat 1 cup butter on medium high until pale and fluffy.
- With the mixer running, slowly pour in the chilled eggnog mixture. Mix for 2 to 3 minutes before adding the confectioners sugar. The butter and eggnog mixture should be almost completely combined.
- Continue mixing until the frosting is thickand fluffy. It may look curdled in the beginning, but this frosting just takes a little longer to come together than a typical American buttercream frosting.
- Pipe the buttercream onto the gingerbread cupcakes and garnish with sprinkles, gingerbread spice, gingerbread cookies, or serve as is!
Notes
- Have patience with this eggnog buttercream recipe! If you want a recipe that doesn't involve cooking the eggnog, try this one.
- Heat the eggnog mixture over medium heat with a whisk until it comes to just a boil. Continue to cook until you get the right consistency or you'll end up with a thin buttercream.
- Use butter that is room temperature but not soft.
- Troubleshooting tip: If your frosting just won't come together, try adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. This will help thicken the frosting without affecting the flavor.
- See the post above for cute holiday garnish ideas!
Nutrition
Calories: 393kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 166mg | Potassium: 325mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 622IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 2mg