Mini Gingerbread Cupcakes Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place flour, crystallized ginger, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves in a food processor; process until ginger is finely ground, about 1 minute.
• Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in applesauce until blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
• Stir together hot brewed coffee and molasses in a 2-cup glass measuring cup until blended. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with coffee mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat on low speed just until blended after each addition. Gently stir in Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips.
• Place 48 miniature paper baking cups in four 12-cup miniature muffin pans, and coat cups with cooking spray. Spoon batter into cups, filling almost full.
• Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from pan to a wire rack and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Prepare the Molasses Buttercream: Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth; beat in molasses and salt until fully incorporated, about 1 minute. Gradually add powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of the milk; beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. If needed, add remaining 1 tablespoon milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, and beat until desired consistency is reached.
• Prepare the Chocolate Trees: Place 1 cup Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips in a small microwaveable bowl, and microwave on medium (50% power) until melted and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to a piping bag or heavy-duty zip-top bag with a very small hole snipped in the corner.
• Pipe into small Christmas tree shapes on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Chill until set, about 15 minutes; keep chilled until ready to use.
• Pipe or dollop Molasses Buttercream on cupcakes. Garnish with finely chopped crystallized ginger, and top with chocolate Christmas trees.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Beat in water and molasses. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg and allspice; add to the creamed mixture. Beat on low speed until combined. Beat on medium for 2 minutes., Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely., For frosting, in a small bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese, brown sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in maple syrup and vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Frost cupcakes. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter or line with paper liners a 12-cup muffin tin.
• Cream 5 tablespoons of the butter with the white sugar. Add the molasses and the egg and egg yolk.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 36 mini muffin cups with cooking spray.
• Prepare the cake mix according to package directions. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 10-12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cupcakes with the frosting and top with the ginger.
• NOTE:Cupcakes may be baked up to 1 day in advance and kept in a tightly covered container at room temperature. Or they may be baked 2 months in advance and frozen. The frosting may be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, covered. Bring back to room temperature before frosting.