Gingerbread Cupcakes with Orange Mascarpone Frosting
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The ultimate combination of holiday flavors! Super-moist gingerbread cupcakes topped with orange mascarpone frosting.
These cupcakes are what a holiday cupcake should be. They are soft, light, and taste exactly like a gingerbread man cookie! How can you say no to that?
You can’t!
If you are a baker who loves to turn your favorite flavors into something amazing, then you are going to appreciate these spicy, molasses filled gingerbread cupcakes.
Even without the frosting, these cupcakes are packed with flavor. To complement their sweet gingery flavor is orange infused frosting. While most people celebrate the holidays with candy cane filled recipes, I celebrate with orange. I simply can’t get enough of this bright, juicy fruit.
I used mascarpone cheese as the base for the frosting. It’s light and velvety texture make it perfect for frosting. And it’s a better option than butter packed frostings.
Gingerbread and orange is the ultimate combination when it comes to holiday dessert. These cupcakes are some of the best I’ve ever made.
Make them for your office party, family Christmas dinner, for friends and neighbors. I’m positive you will get rave compliments!
If you are a fan of gingerbread, give my gingerbread cake a try.
Gingerbread Cupcakes with Orange Mascarpone Frosting
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups (195 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (113 g) unsulphured molasses
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ½ cup (120 ml) milk, at room temperature
For the frosting
- 8 ounces (226 g) cream cheese, softened
- 8 ounces (226 g) mascarpone cheese, softened
- 1 cup (120 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Instructions
Make the cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350ºF degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Stir with a whisk.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the molasses and egg. Add half of the flour mixture to the molasses mixture, stir until combined. Stir in the milk followed by the remaining flour mixture.
- Fill the muffin cups with ¼ cup batter. Bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when touched. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer the cupcake to a wire wrack to cool completely.
Make the frosting:
- Whip the cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, sugar, orange extract, and orange zest until smooth and fluffy. Spread the frosting over each cupcake.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.
These are so festive and perfect for this month! I LOVE the flavor combo with the frosting and your pictures seriously have me wanting to try one right now!
Thanks so much, Rachel! Your kind words mean everything. 🙂
These cupcakes are so gorgeous, Jen!!! I can’t get enough of gingerbread this year and that orange mascarpone frosting sounds heavenly! I could seriously eat that by the spoonful!
The recipe title refers to mascapone cheese but the actual recipe has none in it?!
Oh mercy. Please forgive the error. That is what happens when I type up a recipe while recovering from a migraine. I have adjusted the recipe card to read correctly now. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. 🙂
Feel better 🙂 Thanks for making the correction. Have a good night! Pinned 🙂
I feel like eating that icing with a spoon! looks fantastic Jen!
Thank you, Manali. It was really hard not to eat it all before it went on the cupcakes. I had to practice major self control, lol.
Wonderful robust flavors
Thank you, Rose!
These look delicious! Gingerbread and orange-flavored frosting make such a delicious combination.
Thanks, Sarah!
These cupcakes are absolutely gorgeous, Jen! They looks so moist and full of flavor. And that orange mascarpone frosting is incredible! Such a perfect touch!
Thanks so much, Gayle! The frosting really is the best.
Holy yum! I am loving everything about these cute cupcakes–especially that marscarpone frosting 🙂
Thanks, Amy!
These cupcakes are absolutely stunning! Bring on the gingerbread! Oh, and seriously, can I have some of your madly-awesome piping skills??—mine look more or less like a kindergartner’s! LOL. Pinning!
You are way too kind. I feel like I needs tons more practice, lol. Thanks for the pin!
Holy yum! I am loving everything about these cute cupcakes–especially that marscarpone frosting 🙂