Gingerbread Cupcakes

 Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse...

Ok, I'm just going to skip to the end so I can wish you all a good Christmas and good night!

These gingerbread cupcakes were at hit a my family's Christmas celebration. They are moist, but not dense, and you can smell the wonderful gingerbread spices the moment you come near them.

The gingerbread men toppers with holly and candy canes and gingerbread mice turned out so cute, too!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Gingerbread Cupcakes
adapted from Martha Stewart

yields 16 cupcakes

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

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 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. 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. 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.


Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
yields 4 cups

Ingredients:
24 tablespoons (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
3 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

With an electric mixer, beat butter for 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Add vanilla.