Brown Sugar Cupcakes with Gingerbread Buttercream

I absolutely love all of the rich, warm, comforting flavors that come with this time of year.  I thought I would try to make a cupcake where two bold flavors are the star of the show – brown sugar, and gingerbread. They blend so well together because of the sweetness in the sugar, and the spices in the gingerbread.  This cupcake is so lightly flavored, I filled the cupcakes with a delicious brown sugar cream cheese filling – adding a tart factor to the mix that really kicks these cupcakes up a notch!

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!  These are wonderful with a hot cup of coffee, too! 🙂

What you need:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 egg (room temperature)
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1  2/3 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Filling

• 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Gingerbread Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup salted butter (softened)
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 3.5-4 cups powdered sugar (sifted before measuring)
• 1-2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• gingersnap cookies (optional topping)

Make them:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare your muffin pan (this silicone muffin pan is amazing!).  If you want cute cupcake liners, these Wilton Cupcake Liners are what I use and LOVE!

Melt butter in the microwave, then pour into your mixing bowl.

Add the brown sugar, and beat until it’s completely dissolved.

Beat in the egg, sour cream, milk, and vanilla combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just combined (don’t over mix!).

Fill muffin cups 1/2 full with batter.

Bake 18-21 minutes or until they are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely on cooling rack.

MAKE THE FILLING

Using your mixer, beat the cream cheese and brown sugar for 3 minutes on medium.  Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl.

Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat another 5 minutes until smooth and creamy.

MAKE THE FROSTING

Beat the butter for 3 minutes on medium-high speed in your mixer.

Add the molasses and ginger and beat another minute.

Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until combined and creamy.

Add  heavy whipping cream and beat 2-3 more minutes until frosting has a spreadable consistency.

ASSEMBLE

Once the cupcakes are cool, hollow out the centers, and spoon in the filling.

Frost with buttercream, then sprinkle with crushed gingersnap cookies.

ENJOY and be ready to make batches and batches of these throughout winter months!

These recipes are also super yummy!

Print Recipe

Brown Sugar Cupcakes w/ Gingerbread Buttercream

Sweet, rich, warm, and familiar- these cupcakes will make your heart happy!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 egg room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 2/3 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Filling

• 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Gingerbread Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup salted butter softened
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 3.5-4 cups powdered sugar sifted before measuring
• 1-2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• gingersnap cookies optional topping

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Prepare your muffin pan (this silicone muffin pan is amazing!).  If you want cute cupcake liners, these Wilton Cupcake Liners are what I use and LOVE!
• Melt butter in the microwave, then pour into your mixing bowl.
• Add the brown sugar, and beat until it's completely dissolved.
• Beat in the egg, sour cream, milk, and vanilla combined.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just combined (don't over mix!).
• Fill muffin cups 1/2 full with batter.
• Bake 18-21 minutes or until they are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
• Allow to cool completely on cooling rack.

MAKE THE FILLING

• Using your mixer, beat the cream cheese and brown sugar for 3 minutes on medium.  Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl.
• Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat another 5 minutes until smooth and creamy.

MAKE THE FROSTING

• Beat the butter for 3 minutes on medium-high speed in your mixer.
• Add the molasses and ginger and beat another minute.
• Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until combined and creamy.
• Add  heavy whipping cream and beat 2-3 more minutes until frosting has a spreadable consistency.

ASSEMBLE

• Once the cupcakes are cool, hollow out the centers, and spoon in the filling.
• Frost with buttercream, then sprinkle with crushed gingersnap cookies.

Jeni’s Disclaimer: I’m just a regular girl.  I love to drink wine while I bake.  I’m by no means a professional baker or pro photographer. My creations aren’t staged, they just are what they are, and that’s probably obvious from the pictures.  I create my recipes from inspiration of scents and flavors around me. I also repurpose my grandma’s old recipes. If you love to bake and your food ends up looking like REAL food, and not like something you’ll see on Instagram, you’re in the right place.