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Spiced Pear and Ginger Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting Recipe

Name: Spiced Pear and Ginger Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Modern British
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon ground ginger; ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg; ¼ teaspoon salt; 2 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and finely chopped (about 1 cup); 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger or ½ teaspoon ground ginger; ½ cup unsweetened applesauce; ½ cup low-fat plain yogurt; ½ cup granulated sugar; 2 large egg whites; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 cup low-fat cream cheese, softened; 2 tablespoons powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

By Beginnerbakes Editorial TeamPublished May 10, 2026 | Updated Jul 11, 2026

Modern British 40 mins beginner-friendlyeasywinter-bakingfruitfrostingholidaystep-by-step

Soft pear and ginger cupcakes made lighter with applesauce, yogurt, egg whites, and a simple cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Spiced Pear and Ginger Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting Recipe

Prep 20 min

Cook 20 min

Total 40 min

Servings 12

Difficulty easy

Cuisine Modern British

Ingredients

Servings 12

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
2 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger or ½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup low-fat plain yogurt
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup low-fat cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
In a separate large bowl, combine the chopped pears, freshly grated (or ground) ginger, applesauce, yogurt, sugar, egg whites, and vanilla extract. Mix well using a whisk or electric mixer on low speed until smooth and evenly combined.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions, stirring gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Be careful not to overmix to keep the cupcakes light and tender.
Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners, filling each about three-quarters full to allow room for rising.
Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
While the cupcakes cool, prepare the cinnamon frosting. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
Once cupcakes are fully cooled, spread or pipe the cinnamon frosting generously on top of each cupcake.
Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Allow the cupcakes to come to room temperature before serving.