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Baking recipe · from the recipe book

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Vanilla Custard Centers

Dark, moist molasses cupcakes warm with ground ginger, fresh ginger, cinnamon and cloves, hiding a cool, silky vanilla custard center under a snowy dusting of sugar.

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Vanilla Custard Centers

Ingredients

  • 1¼ cups (300 ml)300 gWhole milk
  • ⅓ cup60 gGranulated sugar
  • 3 tbsp25 gCornstarch
  • 3 large150 gEggsdivided: 1 for the custard, 2 for the batter, at room temperature
  • 1 tbsp15 gUnsalted buttercut into small pieces
  • 2 tsp8 gVanilla extract
  • 1½ cups190 gAll-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp6 gGround ginger
  • 1½ tsp4 gGround cinnamon
  • ½ tsp1 gGround cloves
  • ½ tsp1 gGround nutmeg
  • ¾ tsp4 gBaking soda
  • ¾ tsp3 gBaking powder
  • ¼ tsp2 gSalt
  • ⅓ cup120 gMolasses
  • ⅓ cup packed80 gBrown sugarpacked
  • ⅓ cup80 gCanola oil
  • 2½ tbsp grated15 gFresh gingerpeeled and finely grated
  • ½ cup120 gWatervery hot
  • 2 tbsp15 gPowdered sugar

Steps

  1. Make the custard first so it can chill: in a medium saucepan, whisk the granulated sugar and cornstarch together, then whisk in the whole milk and 1 of the eggs until smooth.
  2. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the custard bubbles and thickens and reaches at least 160°F (71°C), about 5–7 minutes.
  3. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and vanilla. Scrape into a bowl, press plastic wrap onto the surface and refrigerate until cold and set, about 2 hours.
  4. While the custard chills, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
  5. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  6. In a large bowl, whisk the molasses, brown sugar, canola oil, fresh ginger and the remaining 2 eggs until glossy.
  7. Stir the flour mixture into the molasses mixture just until no dry streaks remain, then slowly whisk in the hot water to make a thin, smooth batter.
  8. Divide the batter evenly among the liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
  9. Bake 18–20 minutes, until the tops spring back and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
  10. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then move the cupcakes to a rack and cool completely, about 45 minutes.
  11. Use a small knife or apple corer to cut a cone about 1 inch deep from the center of each cupcake; trim off the pointed bottom of each cone and keep the tops.
  12. Whisk the cold custard until smooth, spoon or pipe it into the holes, and set the cake tops back on.
  13. Dust the tops with the powdered sugar just before serving. Keep leftovers refrigerated.

Food safety: Don't taste raw dough or batter: raw flour and raw eggs can carry germs.

Contains: Milk, Egg, Gluten.

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Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

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