We re-invented the gingerbread man into a gingerbread cupcake and topped him with a big dollop of lemon-buttercream frosting and a garnish of crystalized ginger.

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting
2014-12-06 03:23:06

Yield: 1 dozen cupcakes
Cupcakes
- 6 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1⁄2 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 1⁄3 cups self-rising flour
- 3⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1⁄2 cup whole milk
- 1⁄3 cup molasses
Frosting
- 1⁄2 cup butter, softened
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Garnish: thinly sliced crystallized ginger
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.
- For cupcakes: In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy, stopping occasionally to scrape sides of bowl. Add egg and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well and scraping bowl after each addition. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. In a small bowl, stir together milk and molasses. With mixer on low, add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, alternating with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 20 minutes. Let cool in pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- For frosting: In a large bowl, beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth. Beat in lemon zest and juice. Spread frosting over cupcakes. Garnish with ginger, if desired.
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