Gingerbread Cupcakes with Caramel Cream Cheese Buttercream

These cupcakes deserve a place on your holiday dessert table.

Topped with a fresh sprig of rosemary and my Roll and Cut Gingerbread Cookies , you have to make these this holiday season!

Ingredients

Gingerbread cupcakes

• 1-1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 1/2 tablespoon baking soda
• 2 sticks butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2/3 cup molasses

caramel cream cheese frosting

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 10 tablespoons butter, room temperature – divided
• 6 tablespoons heavy cream
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
3. In a measuring cup, measure out the hot water and dissolve the baking soda.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and brown sugar, until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses until completely combined.
5. Slowly pour in the water/baking soda mixture, alternating with the flour mixture until everything is combined. Then, beat in the eggs, one at a time, until batter is combined.
6. Divide the batter among the prepared cupcake tin, filling cavities about 1/2 full.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the a toothpick entered in the center of the cupcake come out clean.
8. Meanwhile, make the frosting. In a large saucepan, cook the sugar at a moderately high heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula, until the sugar has melted and turns a deep golden color.
9. Remove the skillet from the heat and add in 2 tablespoons of the butter, one at a time. Whisk until combined. (The caramel will bubble.) Slowly add the cream and whisk until combined.
10. Return the skillet back to the heat and cook mixture over medium-high, stirring until the caramel has thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Set caramel aside to cool.
11. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together cream cheese and remaining 8 tablespoons butter, until mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
12. Add in the powdered sugar, 1/4 cup of the cooled caramel, and vanilla extract. Beat another 2-3 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and well-combined.
13. Pipe frosting on cooled cupcakes and garnish with a gingerbread cookie and a sprig of rosemary.

Gingerbread Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.

In a measuring cup, measure out the hot water and dissolve the baking soda.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and brown sugar, until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses until completely combined.

Slowly pour in the water/baking soda mixture, alternating with the flour mixture until everything is combined. Then, beat in the eggs, one at a time, until batter is combined.

Divide the batter among the prepared cupcake tin, filling cavities about 1/2 full.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the a toothpick entered in the center of the cupcake come out clean.

Caramel Cream Cheese Buttercream

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In a large saucepan, cook the sugar at a moderately high heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula, until the sugar has melted and turns a deep golden color.

Remove the skillet from the heat and add in 2 tablespoons of the butter, one at a time. Whisk until combined. (The caramel will bubble.)

Slowly add the cream and whisk until combined.

Return the skillet back to the heat and cook mixture over medium-high, stirring until the caramel has thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Set caramel aside to cool.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together cream cheese and remaining 8 tablespoons butter, until mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add in the powdered sugar, 1/4 cup of the cooled caramel, and vanilla extract.

Beat another 2-3 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and well-combined.

Pipe frosting on cooled cupcakes and garnish with a gingerbread cookie and a sprig of rosemary.