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    Home » Recipes » Cupcakes

    Chocolate Gingerbread Cupcakes

    Modified: Feb 11, 2025 · Published: Dec 1, 2022 by Karissa Parrish · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These chocolate gingerbread cupcakes have all of the warm spices of gingerbread cookies mixed into a chocolate cupcake. Then they're topped with a gingerbread honey buttercream frosting!

    This post is sponsored by Local Hive™ Honey. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Ginger Snap's Baking Affairs possible!

    Chocolate gingerbread cupcakes with green and white christmas trees in the background.

    This gingerbread cupcakes recipe is perfect for the Christmas holiday season!

    The cupcakes are so soft, fluffy, and you can taste both chocolate and gingerbread flavors with every bite!

    Looking for more gingerbread recipes? Then check out these gingerbread muffins and gingerbread donuts.

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love These Cupcakes
    • What Is Local Hive Honey?
    • Ingredients Needed
    • Instructions
    • Storage Tips
    • Expert Baking Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More Cupcake Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    Gingerbread chocolate cupcakes on a brown cake stand with a bottle of honey in the background.

    Why You'll Love These Cupcakes

    • They're filled with all of the gingerbread flavors, including molasses.
    • There's honey in both the cupcake batter and frosting.
    • The cake is moist and soft.
    • From start to finish, they take less than 30 minutes to make.
    • They're perfect for all holiday celebrations!

    This recipe produces perfect fluffy cupcakes with gingerbread flavor that pairs so well with deep and dark chocolate.

    And then the honey flavored buttercream on top ties every bite together!

    Chocolate cupcakes with gingerbread honey frosting with a honey bottle in the back.

    What Is Local Hive Honey?

    I absolutely love Local Hive™ Honey and when baked into desserts, the honey flavor really shines and pairs with so many flavors! That's because their honey is 100% raw and unfiltered.

    Local Hive™ bottles over 23 different blends of honey from all over the US, which gives you the chance to taste so many different honey combinations.

    This holiday season you have the chance to try three local honey blends from around the country through a unique gift box. I used Local Hive™ Honey's Colorado Blend in both the cupcake batter and frosting which is part of their Winter Bliss gift box.

    These would be such a fun gift to give to the baker in your life or to just treat yourself!

    Ingredients Needed

    Here are some notes on the ingredients we'll be using. For the full ingredients list, look at the recipe card below.

    • Flour: I used all purpose flour.
    • Cocoa Powder: Be sure to sift it first before mixing into the flour.
    • Spices: A combination of ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg are used to create that warm gingerbread flavor.
    • Brown Sugar: Either dark or light brown sugar works.
    • Local Hive™ Honey's Colorado Blend: This pairs so well within the cupcake batter and the frosting.
    • Oil: Use either canola or vegetable oil.
    • Eggs: Two large eggs are what you need.
    • Molasses: Be sure to use a dark molasses.
    Ingredients needed: flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, spices, cocoa powder, molasses, honey, vanilla, eggs, oil, and milk.

    Instructions

    Here are the step by step instructions on how to make this gingerbread cake.

    Step 1: Dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.

    Step 2: Wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, honey, vegetable oil, eggs, molasses, and vanilla extract.

    Wet ingredients in a glass bowl with a container of honey on the side.
    Wet ingredients combined in a glass bowl.

    Step 3: Combine the ingredients. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk to the wet ingredients (flour, milk, flour), whisking just until everything is combined.

    Chocolate gingerbread cupcake batter in a bowl.
    Muffin pan ready to bake.

    Step 4: Bake the cupcakes. Fill the cupcake liners ½ way full (2 tablespoons) and bake for 15-18 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring them over to a wire rack to cool completely.

    Step 5: Make the frosting. Beat the unsalted butter on high until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, honey, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and milk and mix on low speed until combined.

    Then increase the speed to high and beat for another 1-2 minutes.

    Chocolate cupcakes on a wire rack.
    Frosted gingerbread cupcakes on a wire rack.

    Storage Tips

    Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    You can also leave them at room temperature for up to 2 days if needed.

    Chocolate cupcakes sliced in half laying on a cupcake liner.

    Expert Baking Tips

    • Measuring Flour: To help ensure you don’t add extra flour, follow these three simple steps: 1) Fluff up the flour using a fork. 2) Spoon the flour into your measuring cup. 3) Scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level out the flour.
    • Folding: This means we carefully combine our ingredients without stirring or beating. We do this with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until the ingredients are just combined with each other, “folding” everything together.
    • Cupcake Batter: Evenly divide the batter amongst the cupcake liners, only filling them ½ way full (2 tablespoons). If you fill them any more than that the cupcakes will have large muffin tops and will risk sinking once cooled.
    • Frosting: Frost the cupcakes once they have completely cooled. I used a piping bag and the Wilton 6B tip to frost these cupcakes.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can These Be Made Ahead Of Time?

    Yes they can. Simply make the cupcakes the night before and then make the frosting the day of. Decorate and serve!

    What Can I Add To These Cupcakes?

    You could add a gingerbread cookie topper to the top of each cupcake. That would be super cute!

    A bite taken out of a cupcake with christmas decorations, a honey dipper, and brown parchment paper.

    If you made this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below. I love hearing from you! Also, please tag me on Instagram and check out my Pinterest for even more recipe ideas.

    It brings me so much joy to see you make my recipes. 🙂

    Happy Baking!

    More Cupcake Recipes

    • Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting
    • Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
    • A bite taken out of a moist cupcake with cupcakes in the background on a cake stand.
      Snickerdoodle Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting

    📖 Recipe

    Chocolate Gingerbread Cupcakes

    Karissa Parrish
    These chocolate gingerbread cupcakes have all of the warm spices of gingerbread cookies mixed into a chocolate cupcake. Then they're topped with a gingerbread honey buttercream frosting!
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 25 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 16 cupcakes

    Equipment

    • 12-count muffin pan
    • Cupcake Liners
    • Mixing Bowls
    • Electric Stand Mixer

    Ingredients:
     
     

    Chocolate Gingerbread Cupcakes

    • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
    • ¼ cup cocoa powder, sifted
    • 1 ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • ⅔ cup brown sugar
    • ⅓ cup Local Hive™ Honey's Colorado Blend
    • ½ cup vegetable oil (or canola)
    • 2 large eggs, room temperature
    • 3 tablespoons molasses
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ⅓ cup milk, room temperature

    Gingerbread Honey Frosting

    • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
    • 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
    • ¼ cup Local Hive™ Honey's Colorado Blend
    • 1 teaspoon milk
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

    Instructions:
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners.

    Chocolate Gingerbread Cupcakes

    • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
    • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, honey, vegetable oil, eggs, molasses, and vanilla extract.
    • Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk to the wet ingredients (flour, milk, flour), whisking just until everything is combined (be careful not to overmix).
    • Fill the cupcake liners ½ way full (2 tablespoons) and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

    Gingerbread Honey Frosting

    • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until creamy (about 1-2 minutes).
    • Add the powdered sugar, honey, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and milk and mix on low speed until combined (about 30 seconds). Then increase the speed to high and beat for another 1-2 minutes (frosting should be light and creamy).
    • Frost the cooled cupcakes. I placed the frosting in a piping bag and used the Wilton 6B piping tip.
    • Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    Notes:

    Measuring Flour: To help ensure you don’t add extra flour, follow these three simple steps: 1) Fluff up the flour using a fork. 2) Spoon the flour into your measuring cup. 3) Scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level out the flour.
    Folding: This means we carefully combine our ingredients without stirring or beating. We do this with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until the ingredients are just combined with each other, “folding” everything together.
    Cupcake Batter: Evenly divide the batter amongst the cupcake liners, only filling them ½ way full (2 tablespoons). If you fill them any more than that the cupcakes will have large muffin tops and will risk sinking once cooled.
    Frosting: Frost the cupcakes once they have completely cooled. I used a piping bag and the Wilton 6B tip to frost these cupcakes.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cupcakeCalories: 362kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 2gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 137mgPotassium: 112mgFiber: 1gSugar: 40gVitamin A: 356IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 1mg
    US Customary - Metric
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    5 from 5 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Karissa! I am the professional home baker and food photographer here at Ginger Snap's Baking Affairs. I have 6+ years of experience creating easy desserts that every home baker can make in their own kitchens! You'll find many desserts here, including cakes, cupcakes, frostings, and cookies. I'm so glad you're here and happy baking!

    More about me →

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