Holidays are the perfect source of baking inspiration. And one thing I love about Christmas season is gingerbread. Sweet, spicy and delicious! I wanted to make Christmas cupcakes this week, and gingerbread it was!

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting & Butterscotch Glaze

Adaptation of Gingerbread Cupcakes, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

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Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups spelt flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup fancy molasses
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup soy milk
• 2 tbsp plain yogurt (regular or vegan)
• 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup butter or butter flavored non-hydrogenated margarine (like earth balance)
• 1/2 cup cream cheese (regular or vegan)
• 1 tbsp soy milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp maple extract
• 4 cups icing sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Glaze (optional):

• 1/8 cup soy milk or other non-dairy milk
• 1/4 cup butterscotch chips

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners. In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. In a second bowl, whisk oil, molasses, maple syrup, soy milk and yogurt. Add the dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Stir in crystallized ginger.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese together with a hand mixer. Beat in the milk, vanilla extract and maple extract. Add the icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time, then mix in cinnamon. Continue mixing for 5 minutes.

To make the glaze, heat milk on a small saucepan over medium heat until it starts to bubble. Remove from heat, add butterscotch chips and stir until melted and smooth. Let cool a little until it has the right consistency to drizzle on the cupcakes.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

 

 

These cupcakes were delicious. It will make your house smell like gingerbread christmas yumminess ;). The cinnamon frosting is perfect with the spicy cake. And how cute are they?!