Gingerbread Cupcakes

Cupcake

1¼  cup sour cream

4 large eggs

2/3 cup molasses

½ cup brown sugar, packed

½ cup sugar

1/3 cup + 2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

2¾ cup + 2 tbsp America’s Test Kitchen GF flour blend or 2¾ cup + 2 tbsp of your favorite GF flour blend

4 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp ground ginger

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp pepper

In large bowl, whisk together flour blend, baking powder, ground ginger, baking soda, salt, cinnamon & pepper until well blended.

In medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, eggs, molasses, brown sugar, sugar, oil & grated ginger until well mixed.

Pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture & whisk together until blended & smooth.

Line muffin tins with 24 cupcake liners. Fill each cupcake to almost full (distribute evenly among cupcakes).

Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes. Rotate half way through baking. They are done when they are a little springy to the touch & a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not over bake or they will be a little dry.

Remove cupcakes from muffin tin & cool completely on wire rack.

Frosting

            4 oz cream cheese

            6 tbsp butter, softened

            1 tsp vanilla or 1 tsp maple syrup or 1 tsp maple extract (see notes)

            ½ - ¾ cup sugar

            Optional:

               Crushed candy canes/peppermint to sprinkle on top of frosting

Beat all ingredients (except crushed candy cane/peppermint) together for 5 minutes.

Frost cupcakes. This amount of frosting will give you enough for a nice thin layer of frosting on each cupcake – this way they are not too sweet. But if you love frosting, double the frosting recipe & spread it on nice & thick! (The cupcakes in the photos are frosted with the single recipe above.)

Optional: Top with crushed candy canes/peppermint. I think the peppermint compliments the gingerbread flavor & makes the cupcakes look a little more festive!

Notes:

The cupcakes are based on America’s Test Kitchen gluten free gingerbread cake recipe, made in a tube pan. But it can be a little dry for cupcakes, so I increased the vegetable oil. I also used my own frosting recipe. They use a glaze for their cake.

You can whisk this by hand or use the whisk on your mixer – either way works!

I have used paper & foil muffin cups – both sometimes stick to the cupcakes just a little. You may want to lightly spray with GF baking spray.

If you are adding maple extract to the frosting, be aware that it is like vanilla & made with alcohol, so may contain gluten. If you are gluten free by choice, this tiny amount may be acceptable to you. But if you have a gluten allergy, so may just want to go with the maple syrup.