7 Gingerbread kids cupcakes!

6 christmas cookie shapes

5 ingredients, 5 minutes s’more cups

4 Layer Red Velvet Cake

3 Dozen Cookies

2 Dozen Reindeer

And a Cream Cheese Bonanza Caaaake 

Ok this is going to be one of my favorites of the 12 day adventure!!  It’s a mixture of my favorite buttercream icing, the look and texture of a cupcake and the taste of a gingerbread cookie!  This is the first time I’ve made this one, and it will definitely be on the repeat list.

The inspiration for this day comes from my office Christmas party which will take place today.  The theme is food from your background/heritage.  I only know that I have some German in me so I did a little reasearch and German’s are known for their gingerbread cookies, Lebkuchen.  Clearly, I had to get creative so I made gingerbread cupcakes!  I hope everyone at work likes them as much I as I do!

This receipt makes about 2 dozen cupcakes.  Frosting will make about 2 times what you need (I will use later this week), so half if you need to.

Ingredients for cupcakes:

• 1  1/2 cups flour
• 2 tbsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1  1/2 cups butter
• 1  1/2 cups sugar
• 3 tbsp molasses
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla

Ingredients for buttercream frosting:

• 1 cup butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 (32 oz) package powdered sugar
• 6 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift (yes, sifting again) flour and spices.
3. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs.  Add vanilla.
4. Reduce speed to low and add in flour mixture.
5. Divide batter into lined cupcake tins.  Fill to 3/4 full.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.
6. Let cool and then frost with vanilla buttercream.
7. Top with mini gingerbread kids.
8. For the frosting: beat butter and salt until creamy.  Add powdered sugar and alternate with milk.  Finally add vanilla.

Once again, this recipe calls for sifted flour… Please someone invite an electronic sifter!  I’d buy for sure.

And remember, never leave the kitchen with a clean apron!

Slow as molasses!!!!!!!!!

 

Best part about filling the cupcake tins…  licking the bowl!

 

Best Vanilla Buttercream Frosting… I promise!

 

I used the left over dough from night 6 to make these little people cutouts.  You can definitely make with gingerbread but I wanted to use what was already left over.  I decorated them with icing and sprinkles.

The frosted cupcake is delicious!!

 

Ok, so I know there is a fine line between obsession and passion… baking is definitely my passion!  It’s an unhealthy one so that’s what I run for and what I share for!  This was tonight’s activities!

 

More exciting recipes to come!!