Author: It's beginning to look a lot like deliciousness, everywhere you go! (Sung in brilliantly, gorgeous, singing voice, of course).
These Vegan Gingerbread Cupcakes are my new favourites. Rich, Christmas spices, a moist and chewy cake, making that perfect gingerbread texture (in my not so humble opinion). All topped with a salted caramel gingerbread frosting. Let's say that again, salted caramel gingerbread frosting. I mean really, is there anything else you need in life? A spoon maybe?
This recipe took some serious work in the kitchen. Serious = lots of batter eating. You might have seen my sunken cupcake attempt on Instagram or Facebook, but not to worry, I figured it out. The secret? Three tips!
- Preheat your oven, no last minute warm ups. Some older ovens can take a long time to heat up properly.
- Don't over mix your batter! You will kill all those lovely fluffy bubbles you need.
- No peeking! Once those cupcakes are in the oven, I absolutely forbid you to open that oven door until the 20 minute mark.
Three tips to this deliciousness. Just look at these babies, how can you resist taking an enormous, frosting covered bite out of these gorgeous Vegan Gingerbread Cupcakes?
To make vegan gingerbread cupcakes:
Let's get baking! In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients. Then in another bowl, whisk the wet ingredients.
Pour the wet into dry and mix until just combined. Make sure to give that batter a taste because you won't be sorry.
Divide the batter among 12 cucpake liners.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Wait until completely cooled to frost.
Beat all the frosting ingredients together until fluffy and delicious.
Add a big 'ol dollop of frosting on top, and devour.
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
(click stars to vote)
Vegan Gingerbread Cupcakes
Servings: cupcakes
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Ingredients
Dry ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon powdered ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Wet ingredients:
- ½ cup light molasses (not blackstrap), (regular unsulfured molasses)
- ½ cup plant-based milk, (such as oat or soy)
- ⅓ cup light oil, (such as canola or vegetable)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Frosting:
- ½ cup vegan butter, cold
- ½ cup vegetable shortening, (or substitute with more vegan butter)
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup light molasses (not blackstrap), (regular unsulfured molasses)
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon powdered ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon plant-based milk, (such as oat or soy)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners or lightly grease the pan.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until well combined.
- Combine the Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the molasses, plant-based milk, oil, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract.
- Make the Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined—avoid overmixing to keep the cupcakes light and fluffy.
- Bake the Cupcakes: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
- Make the Frosting: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat together the vegan butter, shortening, powdered sugar, molasses, salt, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and plant-based milk until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Frost the Cupcakes: Once the cupcakes are completely cool, frost them generously with the salted caramel gingerbread frosting.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- The cupcakes freeze well (frosted or unfrosted) for up to 3 months.
Carolyn Smith Moorman says
I made these cupcakes today! I didn't have "fancy molasses"--just the old-fashioned kind. Man, oh man, oh man, were these good! I used my Chandra Moscowitz VEGAN CUPCAKE book for her cream cheese frosting. Thank you for sharing your content with us all!!!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
We're so glad you enjoyed it!
JC says
I didn't have fancy molasses and didn't have time to order it, so I experimented: I did 1/4 c + 2T Grandma's unsulphered molasses and 2 T extra nondairy milk. Fantastic texture -- somehow very airy and light while also plenty moist. And the flavor was killer: just the right level of molasses intensity. I also used freshly ground cloves and freshly grated nutmeg, which always ups the ante. Definitely coming back to this site for my future cake recipes, because the texture of the sponge on this was the truly best I've ever made.
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
That sounds terrific!
Shannon Leigh says
For the last two years I have been baking these cupcakes. I like them so much that I converted them to a cake and entered it in a state fair. Not only did I win a blue ribbon, I also one a Special Award rosette. This recipe is amazing and has been duly recognized by the Evergreen State Fair in Washington. Thank you!
Mailene says
If I don't have a shortening, is there a substitute I can use? Please let me know. Thank you.
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Yes, you can use a plant-based butter in place of shortening.
Michaela says
I used earth balance as the butter in the frosting and it turned out disgustingly salty. The frosting was inedible and I had to try to remove it and replace with a plain buttercream. The cake itself was good.
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
We're sorry that was your experience with the frosting. Earth Balance must be too salty, though they do carry unsalted butter.
Annie says
These cupcakes are super easy in my opinion and taste great! It’s easy to overcook the cupcakes so my advice is to start checking them after 20 minutes. Also, the frosting recipe is not quite right. Way too many spices in there - the measurements are the same as for the cake.
What I did my second time making these is add the teaspoon of cinnamon but then only dashes of the cloves and nutmeg. I did add the fourth cup of molasses, however, and it turned out fine. Next time I’d probably use less.
I also mixed the frosting in a kitchen aid so that I could whip it for a few minutes and before adding all the sugar, I whipped the wet ingredients and then slowly added the rest. It ended up mixing way easier. Mixing everything at once just doesn’t make sense to me and just makes a big mess.
All in all this is a recipe I’d recommend and I love making them for holidays!
Annie says
To clarify, the spice adjustments I made were only in the frosting. The cake I made exactly as directed!
Elizabeth Ocran says
Hi there. I'm from the UK and we have a black syrup called black treacle. Would this be the same aa your molasses?
Aimee B. says
These are really lovely. I decided to make mini cupcakes, so I halved the recipe, which yielded 2 dozen. I used Grandma's mild flavor molasses and it worked perfectly. Even my hubby, a self proclaimed gingerbread hater, loved these. I got the oooooohs from him, lol! I didn't make the frosting. I just used some left over vanilla that I had to use up. I think it would be great with cream cheese frosting, too. Anyway, a definite keeper. Oh, and Sam, I would LOVE it if you'd consider a holiday cookbook. 🙂
Shannon Nielsen says
I was wondering this year what to make to drop off at friends and family for a holiday cheer. This was the perfect recipe.
I did not add the molasses to the cupcake batter but instead I add maple syrup! I have some fuss eaters. I also added half the molasses to the frosting and then add the other half maple syrup. I had read other comments and so I played it safe. If I was making them for I would have add all of it because I love the flavor of molasses. For the frosting I add no milk and a small pinch of salt, I wanted the frosting to be stiffer so I could pipe.
Everyone loved themmm soooo much! Thank thank you
Keep them coming!
Sally7 says
I halved the molasses in both cupcakes and frosting since I could only find Grandma’s and it’s pretty strong for me. I subbed in more almond milk to make up for the liquid in the cake. The frosting was fine without additional liquid (I wanted to be able to pipe it, so I needed it pretty stiff). I also cut down on the salt in the frosting as some of the eaters-to-be aren’t big salt fans.
They were delicious—so light and fluffy and spicy. I made them in mini muffin pans (silicone), and they took about 13 minutes. Very cute and yummy. Thanks for the recipe, Sam!
Pela says
Hello Sam! We enjoy your recipes so much! May I ask - how would this wonderful gingerbread recipe convert to cake form - either a round pan (or pans) or rectangular pan? What measurement would I need? Thanks so much! I’m excited to try this!
Millie says
Thanks for the recipe! Which brand do you recommend for the regular molasses and the fancy molasses? I used Grandma's recipe and the frosting turned out a bit too salty and the cupcake actually a little smoky. Thank you, I'd love to try making these again!
Sam Turnbull says
I use Crosby's fancy molasses. 🙂
Kristen says
I think the recipe is great but i think the molasses is too much. It all I tasted over anything else, and the cake wasnt very sweet either. I will try it again but reduces the molasses.
Sam Turnbull says
Did you use fancy molasses? Blackstrap molasses is stronger in flavour. You can read about different types of molasses here. Hope that helps!
Buffy says
I made these without cloves (too overpowering to me) for a dinner party tonight and I have to stop myself from eating too many! Gingerbread is not my usual dessert of choice but these are delicious!
Sam Turnbull says
Amazing!
jonoave says
Forgot to rate them. - 4 / 5 stars.
jonoave says
I also just tried this recipe. Followed it almost exactly, and I agree with some commenters that think it's too sweet.
Guess I should have learned by now that American recipes tend to be on the sweeter side of things, and I should reduce the amount of sugar .
Other than that, the texture and the taste of the muffins were great!
Sam Turnbull says
I'm Canadian (not American), but you can reduce the sugar if you like!
Grace says
Delicious cupcakes!! Everyone at my party loved them!
I did lessen the amount of molasses slightly (I used plain molasses) and I didn't add salt to the icing. Even though I used shortening the icing was still a little too soft. It tasted amazing though!
Sam Turnbull says
Glad you enjoyed! Try reducing the non-dairy milk in the frosting for a stiffer frosting. 🙂
Grace says
Can I use regular molasses?
Sam Turnbull says
Yes, different types of molasses have different strengths so you can see how that might affect the taste here in this guide.
Dominika says
These cupcakes are heavenly! I made them today, they are slightly heavy on molasses, but I think this makes them taste like vintage Jamaican gingerbread. I run out of molasses so didn't add any to the frosting and only used dairy free butter (I didn't have shortening nor know what it is 😉 ) great recipe, thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed!
Lisa says
Hi! I’m thinking of making these for the annual vegan bake sale I co-organize. I’m not a fan of salted caramel, though. Is there another kind of vegan icing you can suggest? I’m thinking vegan cream cheese might be good. It’d be great if it could stand up to heat, though, because this is an outdoor event. In Florida. (I know, yikes. Unfortunately, we have no say in the date.) Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Lisa, I have a vegan cream cheese frosting in my cookbook that would be great. It should stand up to a warm summer day decently well as long as they are kept in the shade. Hope that helps!
Lisa says
Cool, thank you!
Sergio says
This is the best gingerbread cake recipe I've ever made! Fluffy and moist and incredibly aromatic. I made some minor changes however: I halved the quantity of the soft brown sugar (I find that 3/4 of a cup of sweetener is sweet enough for any cake this size), I doubled the amount of ginger and I subbed a single teaspoon of white wine vinegar for the apple cider vinegar. This said, I do credit the huge success of my cake solely to you and you have my gratitude for sharing this amazing old-fashioned dessert!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoy it, Sergio 🙂