Gingerbread Cupcakes

Happy New Year! This post is coming out very late. But the holiday sure were busy. Actually the last 3 months have been busy. I've had many plans for blogs, but with my late nights and lack of sunshine in my kitchen, pictures haven't done the food justice. And what good is a blog without pictures?

So for the first blog of 2011 I have a treat! One of the best cupcakes I've had in awhile. Adapted from Martha Stewart's 'Cupcakes' cookbook, Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cookie Cutouts! This recipe is rich with flavor that is sweet but not to sweet because of the spicy dense cake, and topped with the most lovely butter cream icing imaginable. And to boost a gingerbread cookie. It is two deserts in one!

Cupcakes (makes 22)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• *2 tablespoons ground ginger (used fresh grated ginger)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsulfured molasses
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together flour and spices.

2. On medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the molasses and beat until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low Gradually add the flour mixture, beating until just combined.

3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three quarters full. Bake rotating tins halfway through. Bake for 25 minutes.

Icing

• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 pound (4 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. With an Electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.

2. Reduce speed to medium. Ass the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. After every two additions raise speed to high and beat 10 seconds to aerate frosting, then return to medium. This should take 5 minutes. Frosting will be very pale and fluffy.

3.Add Vanilla, and beat until frosting is smooth.

Gingerbread men (4 dozen 2 inch cookies)

• 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups unsulfured molasses

1. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. In another bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs and molasses, and beat to combine. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture from other bowl, beating until just combined.

2. Divide dough into thirds, flatten each piece into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or overnight).

3. On a generously floured piece of parchment paper, roll out one disk of dough to just under 1/4" thick. Brush off excess flour and freeze until firm, about 15 min.

4. Preheat oven to 350 F. Using a cookie cutter of your choice quickly cut out shaped from dough and transfer to parchment lined baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart, as you work. Freeze until firm, about 15 minuted. Repeat with remaining disks of dough.

5. Bake cookies until crisp but not darkened, 8-10 min. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool before decorating.

*Note the sad faced gingies. These were made for a going away party around Christmas time. They were a cute tasty way to say bon voyage to a best friend.