Gingerbread Face Cupcakes

How sweet are these little gingerbread face cupcakes? They are absolutely adorable and really easy to make even if you’re not a baking or decorating expert.

These are made of chocolate (not gingerbread) but you could easily adapt use the decorating ideas below to turn any flavor of cupcake into a gingerbread face!

If you’re looking for another Christmas dessert with wow factor, you have got to check out this Christmas cake roll. It’s not only delicious, it’s really pretty too!

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Gingerbread Face Cupcakes

Find more Christmas recipes here.

Scroll down for a printable recipe card.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Prep Time: 30 min

Bake Time: 25 min

Total Time: 55 min

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup coffee
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• 1 tbsp white distilled vinegar
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 ½ cups confectioners sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Decorating:

• Black cookie icing
• Red cookie icing
• White cookie icing

Directions:

Chocolate Cupcake

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners.

In a medium saucepan, add the butter, coffee, and vegetable oil over low heat.

Stir until the butter is melted and all ingredients are combined.

Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat at low speed until smooth.

Next, add the egg and beat until incorporated.

And then add the buttermilk, vinegar and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again for 1 minute.

In a large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together.

Slowly add the dry mixture to the butter mixture.

Mix on low for 2 minutes then increase to medium for another 4 minutes.

Scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl and mix again on medium for 1 minute.

Scoop the batter using a medium sized ice cream scoop into the lined muffin tins, filling them about three-fourths full.

Bake the cupcakes in the center of the oven for about 25 minutes, until springy.

Insert a toothpick in the center of the cupcake, if it comes out clean it is fully baked.

If not, bake for another 3-4 minutes.

Cool the cupcakes while still in the muffin pan for 10 minutes.

Remove the cupcakes from the pan and put on a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting and Decorating

In a large mixing bowl add the butter, beating them until the mixture becomes fluffy.

Slowly add the powdered sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and salt and continue to beat until the frosting is creamy and smooth.

Place a silicone baking mat on a cookie sheet.

Use an ice cream scoop and scoop out the chocolate frosting and place the frosting on the cupcake.

Turn the cupcake upside down and lightly press it down on the silicone baking mat to flatten the frosting.

Set the cupcake to the side.

Repeat steps with remaining cupcakes

Take the black cookie icing and draw out the face of the gingerbread.

Now take the red cookie icing and create the cheeks.

Take the white cookie icing and create the white zig zag marks on the top of the gingerbread face.

Enjoy!

The nutrition information is calculated using a third party resource. The accuracy varies according to the brands you use, the portion sizes you serve, and so on. This information should only be used as a guide.