Gingerbread Baby Cakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

I remember making Gingerbread cupcakes as a child in grade school,  proudly carrying  my box of freshly made cakes to a special school day function and being able to say, “I made these myself”.   Gingerbread always sparks a warm and cozy feeling in me.  A hot cup of tea with a slice of spicy Gingerbread by a warm fire… ok, I want some now!

These lovely moist and delicious Ginger Baby Cakes have an unusual ingredient, Cola, the caramel flavor compliments the molasses and brown sugar and when topped with a Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting, they are pure Heaven!  This recipe makes 1 dozen personal sized cakes.  Double the recipe and it makes one 8 inch 3 layer cake.

Ingredients

For the cake...

1/2 cup cola

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup molasses

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 stick plus 4 Tbs. (12 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted

2 medium eggs

candied ginger for garnish, optional

1.   Preheat oven to 350°  Butter a medium sized cupcake pan (12 cupcakes) and lightly flour.  Dump excess flour out of pan.  

2.   Bring cola to a boil in a heavy medium sized saucepan.  Remove from heat;  whisk in baking soda, then molasses.  Transfer to a large bowl and cool to room temperature.

 

3.   Whisk sugar, melted butter and eggs into molasses mixture, blend well.  Measure into a sifter, the flour and the next 6 ingredients.  Whisk dry ingredients slowly into molasses mixture.  Blend until smooth. 

4.   Scoop batter into cupcake pan, filling 3/4 full.

5.   Bake cupcakes for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.  Remove pan from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.  Carefully remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

For the frosting...

8 ounce package of full fat cream cheese, room temperature

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted

1 lemon, grated

1.  With an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, mix butter on medium high speed about 2 minutes.  Beat until butter looks white.  Remove from bowl and set aside.

 2.   In the same bowl, beat the cream cheese, until smooth, add the butter and mix together until smooth and creamy.  Add lemon zest and confectioners sugar and mix until creamy, don't over mix.

3.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.  Dice optional candies ginger and sprinkle on top for garnish.

For more yummy recipes click the link below

Lavender and Lovage