These chocolate gingerbread cupcakes are a simple yet special dessert that everyone will love!! They’re moist, perfectly spiced, sweet but not too sweet and topped with fresh homemade vanilla whipped cream.
These idea for these beauties came from my desire to have a not quite straight gingerbread recipe . I wanted to combine the wholesome, hearty and festive flavor of gingerbread with some fun ingredients that everyone loves like chocolate and whipped cream!
For the gingerbread flavor, I used the spices my great grandmother used in her gingerbread recipe. The spices in the cupcakes go so well with the chocolate and whipped cream!
The other main ingredient for the gingerbread flavor is molasses. I absolutely love using molasses and, like most people, I find I don’t use it enough. I love the smell, taste and even the texture of it. Since it’s super sticky, I follow my great grandmother’s directions to combine the molasses with boiling water which makes it easier to mix it in with the other ingredients.
Ok, so, we have the molasses which gets added to creamed butter and sugar. We also have our warm gingerbread spices which I added to flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Now, this is where our cupcakes slightly veer off from being a straight gingerbread recipe. To the dry ingredients, we whisk in Dutch processed cocoa powder. This gives the cupcakes their gorgeous, rich chocolate color AND deep chocolate flavor!
The resulting cupcake is soft, dense, moist and intriguingly spiced. To contrast these not-too-sweet treats with their gorgeous chocolate brown color, top them with mounds of light, sweet fresh whipped cream! The combination and contrast in color and flavor is heavenly! While my great grandmother did not include cocoa in her recipe, she did make a note that her gingerbreads were delicious served with whipped cream! She was 100% right about that and you’ll love how the whipped cream balances this moist, dense, spiced cake flavor out!
Making whipped cream is easy, fun and worth the little time and three ingredients it takes to whip it up. Since cold whipping cream whips up best, keep the whipping cream in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. I suggest going a step further and putting your mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge or even in the freezer for about 20 minutes, if possible, just before using them.
Top the cupcakes with whipped cream just before serving. Just plop some whipped cream on each cupcake with a spoon. No fancy technique necessary and they don’t all have to look alike. They’re homemade! 🙂 Sprinkle some cocoa on top or even some cinnamon if you want to hint at some of the spice in the cupcakes.
These chocolate gingerbread cupcakes with whipped cream blew me away. I must have told my husband how good they were at least five times while I was having one yesterday at breakfast (yes, breakfast!) Serve them as dessert and enjoy leftovers as breakfast or snacks the next day! They are definitely the perfect holiday treat!
For more holiday baking recipes, make my:
Chocolate Gingerbread Cupcakes
Ingredients
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa plus a little extra to sprinkle for decoration, if desired
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 ounces mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a medium sized bowl, Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cocoa. Set aside. In a medium sized bowl, stir to combine the boiling water and molasses. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla then mix in the eggs one at a time.
- Alternatively add the dry ingredients and the water and molasses mixture to the sugar and butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Fill greased or paper lined muffin tins 2/3 or 3/4 full and bake 17-20 minutes. Let cool in muffin tin for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle with cocoa, if desired.
- FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM
- For best results, chill the bowl and beaters in the fridge or freezer for 15- 20 minutes before using. Beat the whipping cream on medium-high speed. Let the cream mix for a few minutes while watching carefully. When you have soft peaks, gently pour the sugar in followed by the vanilla. Continue mixing until you have medium peaks.
Barbara Briggs Ward
Love this recipe!
Natalie
Thanks! Lots to love about it! 🙂