Gingerbread Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Gingerbread is a classic holiday flavor. I actually had never had gingerbread until I met Hubby. I guess it just wasn’t part of my eating background growing up. A few years ago I made some gingerbread cut out cookies that had a lemon cream cheese frosting piped onto them. I was remembering those cookies when I decided to make these cupcakes. I’m entering these cupcakes into Baking Bites Holiday Cupcake Contest (and just barely in time since entries are due by midnight tonight!)

I love these cupcakes because they have very festive sprinkles, (I love sprinkles), festive colors, and festive flavors. For the frosting, I made a lemon cream cheese frosting. Lemon actually pairs really well with gingerbread even though most people gave a weird look when I told them the frosting flavor.

I mentioned the festive colors. Not only are the sprinkles red and green, but the cupcake liners are as well. I love the vibrant colors of these liners and I’m hoping Santa brought me some more, because I’m starting to run low.

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 24

Ingredients:

For the Gingerbread Cupcakes
1 1/2 c flour
2 Tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 c (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 1/2 c sugar
3 Tbsp molasses
4 eggs, at room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 stick unsalted butter
4 cups confectioners' sugar
Zest of 1 lemon, grated
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

For the Gingerbread Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

Sift flour and spices together and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add molasses and beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low, add flour mixture until just combined.

Fill each muffin tin ~3/4 full. Bake ~25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

For the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
With an electric mixer on medium, beat the cream cheese and butter until softened. Slowly add the sugar, zest, and juice and beat until creamy, about 3 minutes.

Gingerbread Cupcakes recipe from Martha Stewart
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting recipe adapted from 52 Cupcakes

Cupcakes, Dessert

4 comments »

25 Responses to “Chocolate Fudge Cake”

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1

Eva @ Eva Bakes — June 17, 2013 at 8:10 am
Happy birthday! Today is my husband’s birthday, and he also requested a chocolate cake. I baked him Ina Garten’s Beatty’s chocolate cake. Your chocolate cake may be the one I bake for my birthday later this year. 🙂
- beantownbaker — June 17th, 2013 @ 8:48 am
  
  That’s a really good chocolate cake recipe too! Tell your husband happy birthday!
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2

Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic — June 17, 2013 at 9:06 am

Happy birthday! A no frills chocolate fudge cake sounds perfect 🙂
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3

Rachel @ Baked by Rachel — June 17, 2013 at 9:16 am
This looks amazing!! And happy birthday!!!
- beantownbaker — June 17th, 2013 @ 9:34 am
  
  Thanks 🙂
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4

tracy {pale yellow} — June 17, 2013 at 3:07 pm

Happy Birthday! Noting like a perfectly simple chocolate cake to ring in a new year! This one looks scrumptious!
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5

Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) — June 17, 2013 at 7:15 pm

That is seriously one gorgeous cake!!! I think I’m in love!
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6

carolg — June 17, 2013 at 9:13 pm
happy birthday and thanks so much for the chocolate cake- can’t have too many chocolate cake recipes
- beantownbaker — June 18th, 2013 @ 4:02 pm
  
  I couldn’t agree more!
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7

Jessamyn — June 17, 2013 at 10:08 pm

We’re birthday buddies! Hope you had a great day!
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Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers — June 18, 2013 at 7:05 am

Happy Birthday! Your cake looks amazing!!
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carolg — June 18, 2013 at 8:44 am
and if i want to make this 9 x 13?any caveats? i never know if i can just change pan size and oven time/temp?
- beantownbaker — June 18th, 2013 @ 4:05 pm
  
  Two 9″ round pans is the same amount of cake batter as a 9×13 pan. I’d probably use the same temp and start checking around the same time. But I would expect it to take longer to bake in the end.
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carolg — June 18, 2013 at 9:11 pm

tnx- 9 x 13 is easier to tote
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11

Nutmeg Nanny — June 18, 2013 at 10:33 pm

Oh goodness, this looks indulgent! I need to make this for my husband as soon as I can!
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Karen - Cinnamon Freud — June 18, 2013 at 11:48 pm
Happy birthday! This cake is to die for- looks so chocolatey and fudgey. Hope you had a great day!
- beantownbaker — June 19th, 2013 @ 7:13 am
  
  Thanks! I had a great birthday this year.
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13

krimpetgirl — June 23, 2013 at 1:35 pm
Tomorrow is my birthday and I am making your birthday cake for my big day!

Thanks!
- beantownbaker — June 23rd, 2013 @ 7:56 pm
  
  Happy birthday tomorrow!! Hope you enjoy the cake as much as I did.
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Shashi @ http://runninsrilankan.com — July 5, 2013 at 6:16 am
Wow – this cake looks so good! I am always looking for chocolatecake recipes to try – so glad to have stumbled on your blog!
- beantownbaker — July 5th, 2013 @ 9:55 am
  
  Glad you found me!
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15

Amber Berry — August 3, 2013 at 5:36 pm
I just made this for my mom and brothers Birthday tomorrow 🙂 I will come back and let you know how mine turned out 🙂 thanks for the recipe and happy late Birthday!
- beantownbaker — August 4th, 2013 @ 6:42 pm
  
  Definitely let me know how it goes!
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16

Amber Berry — August 4, 2013 at 10:51 pm
The cake turned out amazing and was a huge hit! Most of the kids weren’t a huge fan but i don’t think they have learned to appreciate dark chocolate 🙂
- beantownbaker — August 5th, 2013 @ 7:14 am
  
  Glad it was a success (for the adults!)

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting