Bite into these delicious moist gingerbread cupcakes made with chocolate cream cheese buttercream.
YIELDS
8
TO
10
Ingredients
Cupcakes
1 3/4 cup (228 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup (80 ml) vegetable oil
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (168 g) molasses
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 medium carrots, grated (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup (175 ml) apple juice or water
Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream
1/2 cup (113 g) cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (227 g) butter, room temperature
3 cups (375 g) icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
100 g semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
Directions
Cupcakes
Heat your oven to 350°F and set out two standard muffin tins—line 18 of the wells with cupcake liners and set aside.
Whisk together the flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Combine the oil, sugar, molasses, vanilla, and eggs in a separate bowl. Stir in the carrots and juice or water. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine, scraping down the bowl a few times to ensure that everything is evenly mixed.
Divide the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them to the top about three-quarters of the way. Bake the cupcakes for 20 to 22 minutes or until springy to the touch or a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Set the cupcakes aside to cool completely to room temperature.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream
Prepare the buttercream by beating the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with a hand mixer. Beat the sugar one cup at a time, followed by the vanilla. Beat the buttercream for about one minute until fluffy. Add in the melted chocolate and beat just until combined.
Serve
To decorate, transfer the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip and pipe a large dollop of the buttercream onto each cupcake. Alternatively, you can use a butter knife or the back of a spoon to ice the cupcakes. Enjoy!