Gingerbread Cupcakes

• Prep1 h 50 min
• Cook30 min
• Total2 h 20 min
• Serves12

Ingredients

For the gingerbread men

• 45 g unsalted butter, softened (3 tbsp)
• 50 g dark brown sugar, packed (1/4 cup)
• 65 g molasses (3 tbsp)
• 1 large egg yolk
• 150 g all-purpose flour (1 1/4 cups), plus more for rolling
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 pinch salt

For the cupcakes

• 115 g unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup, 1 stick)
• 100 g dark brown sugar, packed (1/2 cup)
• 1 large egg
• 115 g molasses (1/3 cup)
• 120 g whole milk (1/2 cup)
• 190 g all-purpose flour (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the cream cheese frosting

• 115 g unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup, 1 stick)
• 225 g cream cheese, softened (one 8 oz block)
• 360 g powdered sugar (3 cups)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

For the white icing

• 60 g powdered sugar (1/2 cup)
• 2-3 tsp whole milk

Instructions

1. For the gingerbread men, place all the cookie ingredients in the mixing bowl and mix 30 sec/speed 4, until a dough forms. Shape it into a flat disc, wrap it and refrigerate 30 min. There is no need to wash the bowl.
2. Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. For the cupcakes, place the butter and brown sugar in the mixing bowl and mix 30 sec/speed 4. Add the egg, molasses and milk and mix 15 sec/speed 4.
3. Add the flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix 15 sec/speed 4. Scrape down the sides with the spatula and mix 5 sec/speed 4.
4. Fill the liners 2/3 full and bake in the oven 18-20 min, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool 5 min in the pan, then completely on a rack, about 45 min.
5. Roll the dough 4 mm (1/8 in) thick between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Cut 12 to 16 little men with a 6 cm (2 1/2 in) cutter, place them on a lined baking sheet and bake in the oven at 180°C (350°F) 7-9 min. Cool on the sheet.
6. In a small bowl, stir the 60 g of powdered sugar with the milk, a few drops at a time, into a thick icing. With a small piping bag and a tiny hole, pipe eyes, a smile, buttons and zigzags on the cookies. Let them dry 30 min.
7. Wash and dry the mixing bowl. For the frosting, insert the butterfly whisk, add the butter and cream cheese and whip 1 min/speed 3.5.
8. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon, put the measuring cup in place and whip 1 min/speed 3.5, just until smooth.
9. Pipe a swirl of frosting on each cupcake with a large round or open star tip and set a gingerbread man on top.

Tips

• Shortcut: use small store-bought gingerbread cookies and skip the cookie dough, rolling and icing.
• The cookies slowly soften on the frosting, so put them on shortly before serving. Iced cookies on their own keep 1 week in a tin.
• Frosted cupcakes keep 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Take them out 15 minutes before serving.
• Wrap any leftover dough well and freeze it up to 3 months for another batch of cookies.