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Winter Spice Maple Cupcakes with Frosting
By Beginnerbakes Editorial TeamPublished May 4, 2026 | Updated Jul 11, 2026
American
35 mins
beginner-friendlyeasystep-by-stepwinter-bakingfrostingpartycomfort-food
Winter Spice Maple Cupcakes with Frosting with measured ingredients, 35-minute total timing, 12-serving yield, oven settings, and step-by-step instructions.
Prep
15 min
Cook
20 min
Total
35 min
Servings
12
Difficulty
easy
Cuisine
American
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 cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk (or other dairy-free milk)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup dairy-free cream cheese (such as almond or soy-based), softened
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
-
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
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In a medium bowl, combine the maple syrup, applesauce, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Stir until well mixed.
-
In a small bowl or cup, mix the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar. Let it sit for 2 minutes to create a dairy-free 'buttermilk' substitute.
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Add the dairy-free 'buttermilk' to the wet ingredients and stir to combine thoroughly.
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Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl. Using a spatula, gently fold until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few small lumps are okay.
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Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
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Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
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To prepare the frosting, beat the dairy-free cream cheese, maple syrup, and vanilla extract together in a bowl using a hand mixer or whisk until smooth and creamy.
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Once the cupcakes have fully cooled, spread or pipe the frosting evenly over each cupcake.
-
Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Bring cupcakes to room temperature before serving if refrigerated.
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