Life has been hectic lately, so I haven’t posted as often as I’d like. My goal this week is to share more than one update, starting with a favorite Thanksgiving variation: gingerbread cupcakes filled with pumpkin pudding and topped with cream cheese frosting.
If you remember my Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle from a previous post, this recipe borrows elements of that dessert but adapts them into individual cupcakes. For smaller gatherings—or when you don’t want a big trifle leftover—cupcakes are an ideal solution. They store well and are easy to serve.
To make these, I followed the gingerbread cake batter from the original trifle recipe, poured it into a large 6-cup muffin tin (unlined but sprayed with nonstick spray), and baked as directed. While the cupcakes cooled, I prepared a simplified pumpkin pudding to fill the centers.
Pumpkin Pudding:
1 box vanilla instant pudding (3 1/8 oz)
1/2 (15 oz) can pumpkin pie filling
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp pure vanilla
Prepare the vanilla pudding according to package directions. Combine the prepared pudding with the pumpkin pie filling, then fold in the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Cover and chill until ready to use.
Once the cupcakes have cooled, use the stick of a wooden spoon or a similar utensil to poke a hole into the center of each cupcake, about three-quarters of the way down. Transfer the chilled pumpkin pudding into a pastry bag or a zip-top bag with a corner snipped off, and pipe the pudding into each cupcake until it reaches the top. Level the filling, then frost with cream cheese frosting (recipe below).
Cream Cheese Frosting:
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup powdered sugar (for whipped cream)
Beat the softened cream cheese with 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, the butter, and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the heavy cream with the remaining 3/4 cup powdered sugar to firm peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until combined. Chill the frosting for about an hour or until it is firm but still spreadable.
Pipe or spread the frosting onto the filled cupcakes. For garnish, consider crushed gingersnaps, candied ginger, or a sprinkle of ginger sugar, or simply enjoy the rich flavor of the cream cheese topping as is.
These cupcakes combine warm gingerbread spice with creamy pumpkin filling and tangy cream cheese frosting—an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert that works well for holidays or cozy gatherings.
Enjoy!