Christmas Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
These Christmas cupcakes are soft, warmly spiced, and filled with orange zest, honey, and crunchy walnuts. A creamy cream cheese frosting on top makes them feel festive without being too heavy or overly sweet.
💛 Genesis made these Christmas cupcakes for us at La Cocina de Keesha Studio. She gives them such a festive touch, and the combination of orange, warm spices, walnuts, and cream cheese frosting makes them perfect for the holiday season.
For more festive Christmas treats, try our Gingerbread Man Oreo Pops, Hot Cocoa Cookies, and Eggnog Cookies too.
Tips & Tricks
- Use room-temperature butter and cream cheese: They combine much more smoothly and give you a better frosting.
- Rub the orange zest into the sugar: This helps release more of those fragrant citrus oils.
- Cool before frosting: Even slightly warm cupcakes can cause cream cheese frosting to soften and slide.
The Secret to Soft Christmas Cupcakes
This recipe combines butter for flavor and a little vegetable oil to help keep the cupcakes soft. Mix just until combined and avoid overbaking for a tender crumb.
For more delicious recipes made by Genesis at La Cocina de Keesha Studio, try our Christmas Butter Cookies and Baileys Cake with Dulce de Leche Cream.
How to Store
Keep the cupcakes covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days because of the cream cheese frosting. Let them sit at room temperature for a short time before serving for the softest texture.
FAQs about Christmas Spice Cupcakes
Christmas Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Christmas Cupcakes
- 4½ Tbsp unsalted butter, softened 64 g
- ½ Zest of orange
- ½ light brown sugar 91 g
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 16 g
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ Tbsp honey
- ¼ cup milk 64 g
- Ground ginger, to taste
- Ground cinnamon, to taste
- Ground cloves, to taste
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 112 g
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped 53 g
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup +1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened 133 g
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened 112g
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar 80 g
- 1 tsp heavy cream 15 ml
Instructions
How to Make Christmas Cupcakes
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a cupcake pan with 8 paper liners. Chop the walnuts and zest the orange before starting.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar: Beat the softened butter with the brown sugar and orange zest until creamy and well combined.
- Add the Wet Ingredients: Mix in the egg, vegetable oil, vanilla, and honey until smooth.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
- Finish the Batter: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Mix only until everything comes together.
- Add the Walnuts: Gently fold the chopped walnuts into the batter with a spatula.
- Fill the Pan: Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake: Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 25 minutes, or until the cupcakes are risen and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the cupcakes cool completely before adding the frosting.
How to Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the Butter: Beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add the Cream Cheese: Mix in the cream cheese until fully incorporated.
- Add the Sugar: Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until smooth.
- Adjust the Texture: Add the heavy cream and continue mixing until the frosting is soft and easy to pipe.
- Decorate: Pipe the frosting over the completely cooled cupcakes and finish with festive decorations if you like.
