Gingerbread Latte Cupcakes

Gingerbread is the star of the show in this holiday cupcake recipe!

Perfect gingerbread latte buttercream swirled over rich chocolate mocha cupcakes!

This holiday season just got a whole lot better thanks to these gingerbread latte cupcakes. With these cupcakes, the smell of ginger will fill the air with its delicious aroma and you’ll be wanting to pull out that Christmas sweater in no time. these holiday flavored cupcakes are like Christmas in a neat little package. Every bite of these festive gingerbread cupcakes is a wonderful combination of rich flavors and warmth that you are going to crave all winter long.

The BEST Gingerbread Cupcake Recipe

These gingerbread cupcakes start with a rich chocolate cupcake that I infused with espresso. The coffee has a way of intensifying the chocolate flavor in these cupcakes. While these are not dense little cakes, they are sturdy enough to hold up to the thick, sinfully smooth gingerbread latte buttercream. I used International Delight Gingerbread Latte Coffee Creamer to enhance the taste of this buttercream. A dose of cinnamon rounds out the flavors.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• Espresso coffee
• Cocoa powder
• Vanilla extract
• Vegetable oil
• Granulated sugar
• Large eggs
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Sour cream
• Chocolate chips

For the buttercream

• Softened butter
• Shortening
• Powdered sugar
• International Delight Gingerbread Latte Coffee Creamer
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Gingersnap cookies

For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.

How to Make Gingerbread Latte Cupcakes

1. Preheat your oven to 30 degrees F and line two muffin pans with paper liners. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the coffee with the cocoa powder and vanilla. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the oil with the sugar.
4. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well until blended.
5. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
6. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the egg mixture.
7. Now mix in half of the sour cream.
8. Now add in another 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed again by the sour cream (this should be the last of the sour cream).
9. Add in the remaining flour mixture and stir to combine.
10. Stir in the coffee and chocolate chips until well mixed.
11. Use a large cookie scoop to fill each muffin cup. You want them no more than 2/3rds of the way full.
12. Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.
13. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting

Prepare the frosting

1. In a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer, beat together the butter and shortening until smooth and creamy.
2. Add in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
3. Add in the creamer, 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed.
4. Stir in the cinnamon and salt and then continue to beat until creamy.
5. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes.
6. Crush the gingersnap cookies and sprinkle the crumbs onto the frosting for decoration.

Recipe Tips

For making the frosting

• Be sure to beat your butter and shorten for at least 5-10 minutes. The creamier, the better! Then carefully add one cup of powdered sugar at a time. Buttercream takes patience. Do not add your next cup until the first one is fully incorporated. This buttercream is forgiving.
• Add liquid only as necessary. I add my creamer one tablespoon at a time. It is always easier to add more than to take liquid out. As soon as your buttercream is a good piping consistency, then you are finished.
• Although it seems contrary, you do need a pinch of salt. It enhances the flavor while cutting into this very sweet frosting.

Frosting Piping Tip

• To pipe the buttercream as I did, use a large pastry bag and an 809 round tip.

Substitutions

This buttercream recipe is the one I use most often. I always use a mixture of shortening and butter. I think they complement one another well. While you can use all butter or all shortening to make the frosting keep these notes in mind:

• If you use all butter, the buttercream is way too rich and well, buttery. Plus, in certain temperatures, it will separate.
• Frosting made with all shortening leaves an aftertaste in my opinion. Therefore, a combination of the two is my own personal preference.

FAQs

How to store gingerbread cupcakes

This gingerbread cupcake recipe should be kept stored in the fridge once frosted. this is because the frosting has dairy in it and we don’t want it to spoil. Unfrosted cupcakes can be kept stored in an airtight container for up to a week on the counter but once the frosting has been added they should be stored well covered in the fridge for up to a week.

Can I freeze the gingerbread latte cake?

Yes, these cupcakes can be stored in the freezer once frosted or while still unfrosted. I recommend sitting the cupcakes up on a baking sheet and freezing them until solid. This can take 1-3 hours. Then transfer to an airtight container where they can be in a single layer to prevent sticking. When ready to eat, thaw them and enjoy!

Need more gingerbread flavors in your life? Check out these festive wintery desserts!

• Chocolate Gingerbread Cake
• Gingerbread Texas Sheet Cake Recipe
• Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies
• Butterscotch Gingerbread Cookies
• Cheesecake Filled Gingerbread Muffins

Continue to Content

Yield: 2 dozen

Gingerbread Latte Cupcakes

Print

Perfect gingerbread latte buttercream, swirled over rich chocolate mocha cupcakes!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• 4 oz espresso coffee
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 2/3 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup chocolate chips

For the buttercream

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup shortening
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup International Delight Gingerbread Latte Coffee Creamer
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 gingersnap cookies

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line two muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine coffee, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl combine oil and sugar. Add eggs one at a time until well blended.
4. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
5. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to egg mixture. Mix in half of the sour cream.
6. Stir in 1/3 of the flour mixture followed by sour cream. Add remaining flour mixture.
7. Stir in coffee mixture and chocolate chips.
8. Using a large cookie scoop, fill each muffin cup.
9. Bake cupcakes for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
11. For the buttercream; beat together butter and shortening until smooth and creamy.
12. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time.
13. Add creamer in 2 tablespoon increments as needed.
14. Stir in cinnamon and salt and continue to beat until creamy.
15. Pipe frosting over cupcakes.
16. Crush ginger snaps and sprinkle crumbs over cupcakes.

Nutrition Information

Yield

24

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 422Total Fat 25gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 44mgSodium 158mgCarbohydrates 50gFiber 1gSugar 40gProtein 2g

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