Get the Recipe: Spice Cake Cupcakes
Warm, cozy, and perfectly spiced, these spice cake cupcakes are everything you love about fall in one sweet little package!
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 ¾ cups (218 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup (113 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (105 g) unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, room temperature
Frosting
- 1 cup (225 g or 8 oz) block cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter, oom temperature
- 2 cups (240 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons maple flavoring
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, vanilla and applesauce, then mix until combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed (it’s okay if the mixture looks slightly curdled).
- Add half the dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Mix in the milk, then the remaining dry ingredients (avoid over-mixing).
- Scoop batter into prepared muffin tin filling each cup about three-quarters full. Bake at 350℉ for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting
- To make the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add confectioners’ sugar and mix until combined. Mix in the vanilla, maple flavoring and pinch of salt.
- Transfer frosting to a piping bag with desired tip. Frost cooled cupcakes and serve.
Notes
Cream cheese frosting is best when made with full-fat, block-style cream cheese. It is thicker and holds its shape better. If the frosting is too thin, place the mixing bowl in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, then give it a good stir before frosting the cupcakes.
Store cupcakes covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They will keep at room temperature for a few hours while serving.
Serving: 1cupcake, Calories: 306kcal, Carbohydrates: 47g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 53mg, Sodium: 253mg, Potassium: 136mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 34g, Vitamin A: 364IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 98mg, Iron: 1mg