‘Tis the season of gingerbread! From breads and cakes to cookies and gingerbread houses, this festive flavor is the perfect way to celebrate the holiday months. Whether you are entertaining friends at home or just whipping up a special dessert for a holiday movie night with your family, this caramel gingerbread cupcake recipe is the perfect sweet treat.
The flavors of molasses and brown sugar make this cupcake delicious on its own (call it a muffin, we won’t tell), but if you really want to get the full delicious flavor of this treat, top it with the cream cheese frosting and drizzled caramel sauce. It’s truly a decadent dessert that the whole family will love!
Caramel Gingerbread Cupcakes
INGREDIENTS
For the Cupcakes:
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ cup molasses
- 1-1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
For the Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup caramel sauce
DIRECTIONS
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream together butter and sugar for cupcakes. Add egg, water, sour cream, and molasses, and combine until smooth.
- Add in flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat for 2 minutes on low speed.
- Scoop into cupcake liners (2/3 full) and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.
- With electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
- Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until thoroughly mixed. Add in vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes.
- Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and drizzle with caramel sauce. Enjoy!
Yields: 12 cupcakes
These are a delightful holiday dessert for a crowd too! You can even make the cupcakes and freeze them ahead of time. After thawing, top with frosting and caramel drizzle. Or set up a full gingerbread dessert bar for a party at home. You can set out frosting, spices, and sauces to let everyone “build their own” cupcake treat!
For more festive holiday ideas, check out how to decorate with rustic flair and handle all the holiday clean-up!
