Gingerbread Cupcakes with Banana Buttercream (Vegan)
These delightful seasonal cupcakes combine cozy gingerbread spices with a creamy banana buttercream. The soft, tender crumb is sweetened with homemade muscovado sugar and infused with an aromatic blend of spices, including ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. They are topped with a luscious banana buttercream flavored with sweet, ripe bananas and a hint of cinnamon. Not only are these cupcakes simple to prepare, but they are also entirely dairy and egg-free. Spicy gingerbread and sweet banana are such a delightfully festive and irresistible pairing; the perfect bake to add to your holiday baking list.
What you will need:
These cupcakes bring together the delightful flavors of gingerbread and banana. To make them, you’ll need ripe bananas and a mix of warm spices. I used muscovado sugar, which really elevated the gingerbread flavor. While muscovado sugar isn’t usually available at grocery stores, you can order it online or even make your own by combining cane sugar and molasses. For a homemade version, check out my muscovado sugar recipe on the website. The rest of the ingredients are simple pantry staples.
Ingredients:
Gingerbread Cupcakes
- all -purpose flour
- baking soda
- baking powder
- ground cinnamon, ginger, all spice, nutmeg and cloves
- muscovado sugar (see recipe for homemade on the website)
- plant based milk – I used Planet Oat Extra Creamy Oat Milk
- plant based yogurt – I used Silk Vanilla Almond Milk Yogurt
- plant based butter with salt – I used Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks
- oil – I used light olive oil
- vanilla extract
- apple cider vinegar
Banana Buttercream
- powdered sugar
- plant based butter with salt
- plant based heavy cream – I used Country Crock Plant Cream Heavy Whipping Cream
- vanilla extract
- ground cinnamon
- banana
- candied cranberries – a recipe for candied cranberries can be found on the website
How to:
To Prepare the cupcakes:
Begin by preheating the oven to 350F and prepping two cupcake trays by lining 16 of the cups with cupcake liners.
In a small bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, ground allspice, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves. Whisk them thoroughly and set the bowl aside. In a large measuring cup, combine the milk, yogurt, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar. Thoroughly mix everything together and set it aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the butter, oil, and muscovado sugar. Use a handheld mixer to blend the mixture on medium-high speed for about a minute until it’s light and creamy. Add half of the wet ingredients to the sugar mixture and mix on medium speed for 15 seconds. Then, add half of the dry ingredients and mix again on medium speed for another 15 seconds. Repeat with the remaining wet ingredients, mixing for 15 seconds, followed by the rest of the dry ingredients. Blend for an additional 15 to 30 seconds, or until no traces of flour are visible.
Divide the batter evenly among the 16 lined cups, ensuring an equal distribution. Bake the cupcakes for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
To prepare the buttercream:
As the cupcakes cool, prepare the banana buttercream. Measure the banana, slice it into rounds, and then cut each round into quarters. I strongly suggest using a green banana. The riper the banana, the more moisture it has. Using a green banana will provide a more stable buttercream. Next, add the butter and banana pieces to the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream the butter and banana on high with a balloon whisk attachment for 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar to the bowl and continue blending on high for 30 seconds to one minute or until the ingredients are well combined. Add the heavy cream to the bowl and continue blending on high for 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and ground cinnamon and blend on medium speed just long enough to incorporate the cinnamon and vanilla. If the buttercream seems a little too loose, place it in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes to firm up before frosting the cupcakes.
Place equal amounts of buttercream to the tops of each cupcake with a knife, spoon or icing spatula; pipe the buttercream on if you choose. This is about 2.5 to 3 tablespoons of buttercream per cupcake. Garnish each cupcake with a few candied cranberries and fresh rosemary. A recipe for candied cranberries can be found on the website. The cupcakes are now ready to be served. To maintain freshness, store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Alright, let’s get started. Please make, bake and enjoy!
Gingerbread Cupcakes with Banana Buttercream (Vegan)
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cupcakes
- 270 grams / 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1½ tsp ground ginger
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp ground all spice
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup muscovado sugar – store bought or homemade (see recipe for homemade on the website)
- 56 grams / 4 tbsp plant based butter – room temperature
- 60 grams / 4 tbsp oil – I used light olive oil
- 180 ml / ¾ cup plant based milk – room temperature
- 120 grams / ½ cup plant based yogurt – room temperature
- 2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Banana Buttercream
- 360 grams / 3 cups powdered sugar
- 168 grams / 12 tbsp plant based butter with salt – room temperature
- 3 tbsp plant based heavy cream – cold
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 70 grams green banana – sliced and quartered
- decoration – candied cranberries and fresh rosemary
Instructions
Gingerbread Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare two cupcake pans by placing liners in 16 cups.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ginger, all spice, nutmeg, and cloves. Whisk everything together and set the bowl aside.
- In a large measuring cup, combine the milk, yogurt, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar. Whisk everything together, then set it aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the butter, oil, and muscovado sugar. Using a handheld mixer, blend them together on medium-high speed until smooth and well combined, about 1 minute.
- Mix half of the wet ingredients into the sugar mixture and blend on medium speed for about 15 seconds. Then, add half of the dry ingredients and blend again on medium speed for another 15 seconds. Next, pour in the remaining wet ingredients and blend for 15 seconds. Finally, add the rest of the dry ingredients and blend for 15 to 30 seconds, or until the flour is fully incorporated.
- Evenly distribute the batter into 16 lined cupcake cups. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to rest in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Banana Buttercream
- To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and banana. Cream the butter and banana on high with a balloon whisk attachment for 2 minutes.*** A greener banana works better for the buttercream; it has less moisture. The riper the banana the looser the buttercream will be.
- Add the powdered sugar and continue blending on high for another 30 seconds to one minute. Add the heavy cream and continue blending at high speed for 3 minutes. Add the ground cinnamon and vanilla and blend at medium speed long enough to incorporate the vanilla and cinnamon.***If the buttercream seems a little too loose to, place it in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes to firm up before frosting the cupcakes.
- Once the cupcakes have cooled to room temperature, they can be frosted. Add equal amounts of buttercream to the top of each cupcake using a knife, spoon or icing spatula (or pipe the buttercream on). Decorate each cupcake with a few candied cranberries and a little fresh rosemary.
- Store the cupcakes at room temperature in an airtight container
