Gingerbread Cupcakes {With Cake Mix}

Easy gingerbread cupcakes recipe with cake mix, homemade with simple ingredients. Soft, moist and full of spices like ginger and cinnamon plus molasses.

It just wouldn't be Christmas without the smell and flavor of gingerbread. It's one of my favorite flavors and aroma at this time of year. Maybe that's why I have so many recipes that include it! Check them out: Jumbo Gingerbread Men Cookies, Easy Gingerbread Cookies (With Cake Mix), Easy Gingerbread Recipe (Gingerbread Cake), Homemade Gingerbread Latte Recipe, How to Make a Gingerbread House, and Easy Gingersnap Cookies (Cut Outs).

How to make gingerbread cupcakes recipe with cake mix?

1. Mix wet ingredients- This includes eggs, molasses, milk, water, and oil.
2. Add dry ingredients- Spice cake mix, ginger powder, and cinnamon powder.
3. Mix- Until combined.
4. Pour batter- In cupcake liners.
5. Bake- Until center is set.
6. Cool- Until room temperature.
7. Pipe- A swirl of frosting on top of each cupcake.
8. Decorate- With candy cane shards.

How to make candy cane cupcake decoration

All you need to do is spread different colors of chopped up candy canes on a greased foil paper and bake them until they're melted. Then, let it cool and then break into shards. These are some fancy additions that aren't much added work. That's a win-win for the holiday season!

What kind of molasses do you use for baking? 

There are two main types of molasses:

Unsulphured molasses- This type that comes directly from the sugar cane and is usually what you find at the local store. This type is the best one for baking, because it will gives that sweet taste we desire in baked goods.

Blackstrap molasses- Is a thicker, darker molasses that contains less sugar. It will give deeper flavor that is often described as "bitter." Many use it for medicinal or health food uses. It can be used in dressings, marinades, and other foods as well, but the unsulphured molasses tastes the best and makes for a better texture.

Variations for ginger cupcakes

Pair with other frostings- Such as Brown Sugar Frosting (So Fluffy!), Caramel Frosting (3 Ingredients), Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting, or Marshmallow Frosting.

Fill cupcakes- With Caramel Sauce, Dulce De Leche, or Chocolate Ganache (2 Ingredients), marshmallow cream, Sauteed Cinnamon Apples, cheesecake filling, or holiday sprinkles.

Make mini cupcakes- Use a mini cupcake pan with pairing liners to make cute little bite-sized cupcakes. There's something about mini things that make it irresistible plus, you can justify eating more of them!

Add chocolate chips- You can mix in some mini milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or white chocolate chips.

Add flavored baking chips- Such as Irish cream, peppermint, toffee, cinnamon, caramel, or chocolate salted caramel to switch things up.

Use different frosting techniques- By checking out this post about How to Decorate Cupcakes and see what magic you can bring to the Christmas table!

Tips and techniques

Don’t over-mix batter- Because you want your cupcakes light and fluffy! However, if you over-mix you will have cupcakes that are chewy and dense.

Adjust the amounts of spices- This includes ginger, cinnamon, and/or molasses for different looks and flavors, based on your preference. For example, your cupcakes will be a darker color if you use more molasses.

All ingredients should be at room temperature- Because this allows all the ingredients to mix together more fully and smoothly, giving a better overall texture.

Let cupcake cool before decorating- Otherwise the frosting will start melting all over and you will have a mess that isn't very pretty. A cooled cupcake allows for the decorations to stick and stay in form.

Don't over bake- Your cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. They should be soft, but not gooey, and you don't want them to be so over-cooked that your in-laws will use them as paperweights!

Storage

Room Temperature- These can be placed in a cardboard box for up to 2 days as long as there is no filling or other frostings that will spoil.

Fridge- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. However, candy cane shards can become soft and soggy in the fridge, so I recommend adding them just before serving.

Freezer- Unfrosted cupcakes and frosting can be frozen separately in sealed containers for up to 1 month and thawed overnight in the fridge.

More Christmas cupcakes

• Easy Christmas Tree Cupcakes
• Snowman cupcakes 
• Poinsettia Cupcakes
• Rudolph cupcakes 
• Easy snowflake cupcakes

Recipe