Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Moist and spicy little cakes made with molasses and cocoa powder, balanced by a tangy cream cheese frosting.

• Calories: 241 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 ¼ teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon lemon extract
• ⅔ cup sifted confectioners' sugar
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup unsulfured molasses
• 1 tablespoon Dutch process cocoa powder
• ½ cup hot milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter or line with paper liners a 12-cup muffin tin.

Step 2

Cream 5 tablespoons of the butter with the white sugar. Add the molasses and the egg and egg yolk.

Step 3

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt. Dissolve the baking soda in the hot milk. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in the hot milk mixture. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared tin.

Step 4

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes or until slightly springy to the touch. Allow to cool a few minutes in the pan and remove to a rack to cool.

Step 5

To Make Frosting: Cream the 2 tablespoons butter and the cream cheese together. Beat in the confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Add the lemon extract and beat. When the cupcakes are cool, frost the tops with the frosting and serve.