Team Gingerbread

If there is one holiday recipe of mine you make as you scramble to finish your Christmas baking, this is it.  I bake a lot, and I like all most of my treats.  As you know, it’s usually chocolate-laden recipes that make me drool.  But, this dessert might beat Bon Bons for Baby Jesus.

Maybe. 

I have an unwavering love for the chocolate and mint combo. 

So does Lloyd.  It was fate. 

Even if he thinks it was trickery.

I can promise you, there’s no trickery here.  These are spectacular. 

Gingerbread Cupcakes

Original recipe here

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 cup unsulphered molasses
• 2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 10 jumbo muffin tins with paper baking cups, and set aside. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. In a bowl, combine boiling water and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour, ground spices, salt, and baking powder; set aside.
2. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until light. Beat in the brown sugar until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses, baking-soda mixture, and flour mixture. Beat in the eggs.
3. Fill the cupcake papers three-quarters full, making sure that the batter is divided evenly. Bake cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center of them comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cupcakes cool a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

Fluffy Vanilla Frosting

Original recipe here

Ingredients

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

Directions

1. With an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
2. Reduce speed to medium. Add the confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed; after every two additions, raise speed to high and beat 10 seconds to aerate frosting, then return to medium-high. This process should take about 5 minutes. Frosting will be very pale and fluffy.
3. Add vanilla, and beat until frosting is smooth. If not using immediately, frosting can be refrigerated up to 10 days in an airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth again, about 5 minutes.

I didn’t have high expectations for these cupcakes.  After all, gingerbread is gingerbread. 

Unless of course, you are Martha Stewart’s gingerbread.

I don’t like dislike gingerbread, I’m just neutral on the flavor. 

Like Switzerland. 

I have officially switched teams.

Not that way.  Lloyd isn’t getting off the hook that easily. 

TEAM GINGERBREAD!

 

I took a bite to do some QC (quality control) and was blown away.  It was love at first bite, quite literally.  The cupcake was moist and perfectly spiced.  I’ve never enjoyed gingerbread more than this.  It was not overly sweet, but it still tasted indulgent.  It definitely tasted like Christmas, as gingerbread often does.  I am a frosting girl through and through, so what surprised me the most was how much I enjoyed the cupcake without the frosting.  I have future plans to make these cupcakes into gingerbread loaves. 

Gingerbread loaves for Baby Jesus?!

     

The frosting itself was a simple butter, sugar, and vanilla mix.  The color was inspired by the beautiful purple sugar cookie that is always featured on the Food Network commercial!  Plus, it looks gorgeous and wintery with the white snowflakes and balls, and the jewel-toned sprinkles. 

I took some of these into work yesterday and they got rave reviews- someone asked if he could pay me to make a batch for Christmas!  (I had to decline due to time restraints- if I have time, I might surprise him!) 

I got a new light that is conducive to blogging at nigh (since there is no natural light) so I had some fun practicing my skills.  My kitchen table has been converted to a photography studio.  I still wasn’t completely happy with the results?!  Any food bloggers out there have some photography tips?  Please share!

Lloyd suggested that maybe it was the models, and not the light.   

    

It definitely wasn’t the models.  These gals are gorgeous! 

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