Description
Flavorful and beautiful ombre spice cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups (207g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)*
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) packed dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk, at room temperature
Autumn Colored Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- McCormick Color from Nature Food Colors*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2 liners—this recipe makes about 14 cupcakes. Set aside.
- Make the cupcakes: Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, all-spice, ginger, nutmeg, and salt together. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy—about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until creamed together. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined, then beat in the sour cream. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, slowly pour in the milk until combined. Do not overmix. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Pour/spoon the batter into the liners—fill only 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides. Bake for 19-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes.
- Divide the frosting up into however many colors you’d like. I made 2 batches of frosting to get this many colors, so stick with 3 colors for the 1 batch of frosting. Stir in the McCormick Color from Nature Food Colors to reach your desired color.
- Frost the cupcakes using one colored frosting on each one. I simply used an icing spatula. Arrange the cupcakes in an ombre formation, from dark to light.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Cupcakes can be made ahead 1 day in advance, covered, and stored at room temperature. Frosting can also be made 1 day in advance, covered, and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Leftover cupcakes keep well covered tightly in the refrigerator for 3 days. Frosted or unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-cup Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Rubber Spatula | Icing Spatula
- Cake Flour: If you can’t get your hands on cake flour, use this homemade cake flour substitute.
- Frosting Colors: For a yellow frosting, use ½ teaspoon Sunflower Nature Food Colors. For a light yellow frosting, use ¼ teaspoon Sunflower Nature Food Colors. For an orange frosting, use ¼ teaspoon Berry Nature Food Colors + 1 teaspoon Sunflower Nature Food Colors. For a light orange, use 1/8 teaspoon Berry Nature Food Colors + 1/2 teaspoon Sunflower Nature Food Colors. For a reddish orange, use 1/4 teaspoon Sunflower Nature Food Colors and 1/2 teaspoon Berry Nature Food Colors.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Why are all the ingredients supposed to be at room temperature? Here’s more on the importance of room temperature ingredients!