Gingerbread Spelt Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

These gingerbread spelt cupcakes are slathered with a rich, tempting vanilla cream cheese frosting. They make a wonderful alternative to gingerbread cookies so popular this time of year, with all the usual spicy Christmas flavours we’ve come to love.

I’ve mentioned before that like many countries, Sweden loves all things gingerbread in the run up to the festive season. I have made my own pepparkakor (gingerbread cookies) in the past but to be honest, the ones available in the shops are so good (and cheap) that I find my time better spent elsewhere.

I adapted these gingerbread spelt cupcakes from Sally’s Baking Addiction and topped them with my own vanilla cream cheese frosting. They were made for some of my students as an end of term treat and they loved them. Like really loved them.

Watching them eating, as they in turn watched a Christmas movie, it was so much fun to see their little personalities in action. Some dived right in and scoffed the cupcake down in three bites. Others nibbled gingerly, taking their sweet time. Some licked off all the yummy frosting before eating the cake. I even saw several chewing on the cupcake case when they’d finished, scraping up every last crumb of deliciousness. So, I think we can safely say “result!”

I like my gingerbread spicy. However, because it was for small kids, I wanted to make sure these gingerbread spelt cupcakes had a flavour didn’t overpower. You could definitely add more ginger and cinnamon, if you like a strong hit of flavour.

Other Christmas recipes

There’s nothing that gets me in a festive mood more than seasonal treats. Here are some of my favourite Christmas treats:

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Gingerbread Spelt Cupcakes

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Servings 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

115g (½ cup) butter (softened)
100g (½ cup) dark brown sugar
1 egg (medium)
120ml (½ cup) milk
150g (5¼ oz) dark syrup (or molasses or treacle)
150g (1¼ cups) spelt flour (see note 1)
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger (add a further ¼ teaspoon if you like)
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon allspice

Cream Cheese Frosting

200g (7 oz) cream cheese
50g (3 tbs + 1 tsp) butter
1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
250-350g (1½ - 2 cups) icing/confectioners'/powdered sugar

Instructions

Cakes:

Heat the oven to 180°C (350℉). Line a 12-hole cupcake pan with liners.
Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy, then beat in the egg.
Beat in the milk and syrup/molasses/treacle until combined. Please note that at this point, the ingredients will look mottled rather than smooth.
In a separate bowl, mix the remaining dry ingredients and fold into the wet ingredients.
Drop into the cupcake cases (to around ½ - ¾ full) and bake for 18-20 minutes. An inserted skewer will come out clean when they are ready. Leave to cool completely.

Frosting:

Beat the butter and cream cheese together.
Add the vanilla and as much icing sugar as needed to make a thick frosting. Decorate with something festive. Enjoy!

Notes

I have converted grams to cups/ounces/tablespoons using online converters. Although I have no reason to believe they are inaccurate, please be aware that I have not made this recipe with imperial measurements.