Gingerbread Cupcakes Recipe

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• 2 cups all purpose flour
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp ground ginger
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp + 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2 tsp ground cinnamon; Source: 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp + 0.5 tsp kosher salt
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/2 tsp kosher salt; Source: 1/4 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt; upper source range endpoint used for shopping.
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup + 1 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature); Source: 1 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
• 1/2 cup molasses (unsulphured is preferred)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/2 cup molasses (unsulphured is preferred)
• 1 each large egg
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 large egg
• 2 each large egg yolks
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup whole milk
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/3 cup whole milk
• 2 Tbsp sour cream (full fat works best)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2 Tbsp sour cream (full fat works best)
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 16 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature full fat bricks are recommended, not the spreadable kind)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 16 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature full fat bricks are recommended, not the spreadable kind)
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 5 cups powdered sugar (whisked to remove lumps)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 5 cups powdered sugar (whisked to remove lumps)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. To a medium mixing bowl, add flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and cloves. Whisk and set aside.
3. To a large mixing bowl, add brown sugar and butter and whisk until smooth and creamy.
4. Add molasses and whisk until combined. Add egg and egg yolks and whisk to combine.
5. Add milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract and whisk again, until combined.
6. Add dry ingredients from step 2 to the wet batter and whisk until just combined and no flour streaks remain.
7. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling them about 2/3 - 3/4 of the way up.
8. Bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out with just a few moist crumbs, or clean.
9. Let cupcakes cool in the muffin tins for a few minutes, then remove the cupcakes to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
10. Add butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a mixing bowl with a hand mixer) and beat until creamy.
11. Add vanilla, cinnamon and salt and beat until combined.
12. Add in powdered sugar, a little at a time, mixing on a lower speed to prevent the sugar from flying out of the mixer.
13. Increase the mixer speed to medium, and beat for another 2 minutes or until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
14. Transfer frosting to piping bag fitted with a closed star tip (or desired tip), and once the cupcakes are completely cooled, pipe swirls of frosting onto cupcakes.