Mini Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting

I love gingerbread and cinnamon at any time of year, but they are even more delightful in cooler weather.

These mini cupcakes are full of warm, cozy flavors– perfect for the last stretch of winter.

I would like to blame my love of bite-sized food for these being mini cupcakes, but to be honest, I’m intimidated by cake-creating. What if I mess it up? That’s an entire cake wasted! Better to start small and adorable, I think.

Of course, that leads to the problem with cute, tiny food– it’s gone too soon. On the other hand, it’s a built-in excuse to bake more!  🙂

Mini Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Makes 12 mini cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

Ingredients

• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
• 2 tablespoons milk of choice
• ¾ cup flour of choice
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½-1 teaspoon powdered ginger, depending on how strong of a gingerbread taste you want
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt

For the frosting:

Ingredients

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• milk of choice, added ½ teaspoon at a time

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° and grease a mini muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir the applesauce, molasses, and milk together until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, powdered ginger, baking soda, and salt.
4. Pour wet into dry and stir until just combined.
5. Divide evenly into muffin tin and bake 7-10 minutes.
6. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Make the frosting: in an electric mixer, beat the powdered sugar, butter, and cinnamon together. Add the milk ½ teaspoon at a time until your desired consistency is reached.
8. Frost the cupcakes and enjoy!