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Mary Berry Ginger Cupcakes Recipe

Mary Berry Ginger Cupcakes Recipe

Mary Berry's ginger cupcakes are warmly spiced with ground and stem ginger, topped with a honey cream cheese frosting — completely irresistible.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Cooling Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 12 Cupcakes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Ginger Cupcakes:
  • 150 g unsalted butter softened
  • 150 g soft light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 175 g self-raising flour sifted
  • 1½ tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp black treacle
  • 2 tbsp stem ginger syrup from the jar — plus extra for brushing warm cupcakes
  • 3 balls stem ginger in syrup very finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp whole milk
  • Honey Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 200 g full-fat cream cheese room temperature
  • 75 g unsalted butter softened
  • 250 g icing sugar sifted
  • 3 tbsp good quality runny honey
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Decoration:
  • Extra stem ginger syrup for drizzling
  • 12 small pieces stem ginger
  • Ground ginger for dusting

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cases.
  2. Beat butter and brown sugar 3–4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Add treacle and stem ginger syrup — beat until combined. Sift in flour, spices, bicarbonate of soda, and baking powder. Add stem ginger and milk — fold gently until just combined.
  3. Divide between cases — two-thirds full. Bake 18–20 minutes until risen and skewer comes out clean.
  4. Immediately brush or drizzle stem ginger syrup over each warm cupcake — the sponge absorbs it while warm. Cool in tin 5 minutes — transfer to wire rack. Cool completely.
  5. Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add icing sugar in 2 batches. Add honey, ginger, and vanilla — beat 1–2 minutes. Do not overbeat.
  6. Frost each cooled cupcake with a swooped palette knife finish. Drizzle extra stem ginger syrup. Place a piece of stem ginger in the centre. Dust lightly with ground ginger.

Notes

Brush with stem ginger syrup while warm — the sponge absorbs it and the ginger flavour deepens dramatically.
Use both ground and stem ginger — ground gives warmth throughout, stem gives vivid intense pockets.
Black treacle gives the specific gingerbread character — do not substitute with golden syrup if possible.
Brown sugar suits ginger better than white — the molasses note complements the spices.
Do not overbeat the honey cream cheese frosting — beat until just smooth and stop.
Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 3 months.
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