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image of a spice cake that's been bitten into to show how moist and tender the cupcake is
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4.94 from 30 ratings

Spice Cupcakes

These spice cupcakes are made with brown sugar and warm spices! They bake up moist and tender and are topped with delicious cream cheese frosting.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time19 minutes
Additional Time30 minutes
Total Time59 minutes
Course: Cupcakes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Calories: 409kcal
Author: Chelsey White

Equipment

Ingredients

Spice Cupcakes

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 113g
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 150g
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50g
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature 112g
  • 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature 125g
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil 14g
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
  • 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 160g
  • 1 tsp baking powder 4g
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 113g
  • 1/4 cup full fat cream cheese, room temperature 56g
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 6g
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt 1g
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar 312g
  • 1 Tbsp heavy cream or milk, room temperature 15g

Instructions

Spice Cupcakes

  • Begin by preheating oven to 350°F / 175°C and line muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
  • Use a hand mixer to beat 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar on high speed for 2 minutes. The mixture should become lighter in color as air is whipped into it.
  • Mix in 2 large eggs, one at a time, on medium speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. If the batter looks broken at this stage, don't worry! It'll come together once we add in the dry ingredients.
  • Add in 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 Tbsp oil, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Mix on a medium speed until combined.
  • Next, sift in 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp fine salt, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 1/8 tsp ground cloves. If you don't have a sifter, whisk the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, then add them.
  • Mix on low until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. The batter should be thick and fluffy!
  • Divide the batter evenly between the liners and fill them about 2/3 way full. Bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  • Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling. If you want to accelerate the cooling process, pop the pans into your freezer for about 30 minutes.

Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

  • Beat 1/2 cup of room-temperature butter and 1/4 cup of cream cheese on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a hand mixer or stand mixer and paddle attachment until smooth.
  • Mix in 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp salt on a low speed.
  • Gradually mix in 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar on a low speed. Halfway through add 1 Tbsp of heavy cream to make the frosting easier to mix. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
  • Mix on low for a couple of minutes until the ingredients are fully incorporated and smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tablespoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time).
  • Once the frosting is made, stir it by hand with a rubber spatula for a couple of minutes to make the frosting SUPER smooth. Place the frosting in a large piping bag fitted with your favorite frosting tip (I used an Ateco 869).

Decorating These Spice Cupcakes

  • Pipe large swirls onto the fully cooled cupcakes. Dust with a bit of cinnamon and enjoy!

Video

Notes

This recipe can also be used to make mini spice cupcakes! It makes about 40 mini cupcakes, which only need to bake for 9-10 minutes.
 

Making This Spice Cupcake Recipe in Advance

Frosted cupcakes can sit out at room temperature for a few hours. If you frost these cupcakes further in advance, I recommend storing them in the fridge in an airtight container. Frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
If stored unfrosted in an airtight container, they can last for:
  • A day at room temperature
  • Up to 5 days in the fridge
  • Up to a month in the freezer
You can make this frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 409kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 232mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 39g