Gingerbread-pear cupcakes with cinnamon frosting are a holiday-worthy dessert

I absolutely love gingerbread. I love the super-spicy, slightly sweet flavor, and I know that when it’s time to bake it, the holidays are here. While I do enjoy traditional gingerbread, I wanted to change things up and make something more elegant but also kid-friendly this year.

Rather than making a loaf, I decided to make them into cupcakes, fold in fresh, diced pears for a tiny bit of sweetness and top them off with a rich and creamy cinnamon frosting. These are a perfect holiday dessert if you want something small and are great for kids, since they are cupcakes, and everyone loves cupcakes.

Gingerbread-pear cupcakes with cinnamon frosting recipe

These cupcakes have all the flavors of gingerbread, but with a pear twist. Top these tasty treats off with the creamy cinnamon frosting for a holiday-worthy dessert.

Yields 12

Prep time: 20 minutes | Bake time: 20 minutes | Inactive time: 1 hour | Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients:

For the frosting

• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 3-3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon dried cinnamon

For the cupcakes

• 2-1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon all-spice
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
• 2 whole eggs
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 ripe pear, shredded
• 1/2 cup apple cider

Directions:

1. For the frosting, add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl.
2. Using a hand mixer, mix until the frosting is light and fluffy. Cover, and chill until ready to use on the cupcakes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, spices and brown sugar.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the molasses, eggs, butter, diced pears and apple cider.
6. Using a hand mixer, mix the wet ingredients very well, and then pour them into the dry ingredients.
7. Continue to mix until the batter is smooth and there are no lumps.
8. Spoon the batter into each muffin cup about 3/4 full.
9. Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes or until the centers are completely baked.
10. Remove from the oven, and transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack. Let cool for 1 hour or until the cupcakes are completely cooled.
11. Once cooled, frost with the cinnamon frosting, and serve.

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