Gingerbread Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Festive Flavor, Hawaiian Heart

A cozy holiday bake infused with Kōloa Rum, The Spirit of Aloha™

If you’re tired of seeing pumpkin pie take center stage on the holiday dessert table every year, I’ve got something a little different for you. These cupcakes are a cozy, spiced alternative that still capture all the warmth and nostalgia of the season — just in a fresher, lighter way.

You know that moment when the whole kitchen smells like cinnamon, ginger, and comfort? That’s the moment this recipe was made for.

Here’s a fun fact: gingerbread isn’t actually bread at all. It began as a spiced honey cake served at fairs in medieval Europe, long before it became the sweet symbol of the holidays we know today. And honestly? I think that warm, spicy aroma should be a year-round thing.

This version keeps that cozy tradition alive, with a little island spirit woven in. A splash of Dark Rum brings a mellow vanilla-caramel depth that complements the ginger and molasses beautifully. The rum-soaked raisins add buttery richness, and the maple cream cheese frosting ties everything together in smooth, balanced sweetness.

So if you’re ready to shake up the dessert lineup this year, these little beauties are the perfect way to do it.

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The Rum & Molasses Connection

Here’s something I love about this recipe: the pairing of rum, molasses, and warm spices has roots that stretch back centuries. In old coastal towns and island communities, cooks relied on the ingredients that arrived with the ships — molasses from the sugarcane trade, dried spices from long routes across the ocean, and barrels of rum unloaded right at the docks. These ingredients showed up together so often that they naturally ended up in the same mixing bowls.

So when we add a little Dark Rum to gingerbread today, we’re tapping into a tradition shaped by ocean travel, spice routes, and coastal kitchens that knew how to turn simple, everyday ingredients into something special. It’s a small nod to history — and a delicious way to bring a hint of island spirit into a classic holiday bake.