Christmas

Here we are at the most wonderful time of the year! Yes, I love all the Christmas things: trees, lights, stockings, nutcrackers, cookies, candy, hot cocoa, family time, fun get togethers, wrapping and giving presents. All the good stuff. It can also get overwhelming and stressful (remind me to tell you about my meltdown over not being able to find my mini gingerbread cookie cutter sometime). I try to not fall into the chaos but there are moments when it doesn’t feel like everything on my list will get finished. Anyone else?

Holiday baking is usually at the top of that long list! It’s in full swing at my house. One of the amazing things about holiday baking for me is that the flavors and smells can transport me to a wonderful memory of a person or place, and make me feel happy, cozy and loved. These Gingerbread Cupcakes are no stranger to incredible flavor and they fill the air with the most delightful smell while they’re baking.

When I was selling baked goods, Gingerbread Cupcakes were one of my most requested holiday orders. Why wouldn’t they be? The cake is a perfectly spiced, molasses and brown sugar concoction of goodness. Then there’s the rich, tangy cinnamon cream cheese frosting. To top it all off is a sweet little gingerbread cookie! So charming and incredibly delicious! You don’t have to choose between a cookie and a cupcake. Have BOTH! You’re welcome!

I know I always say this but it’s mostly why I love to bake. These cupcakes make great gifts! Teachers, neighbors, hair stylists, and friends will be thrilled with such a fun treat. The day I made these, I ran some out to our mail carrier and she was pleasantly surprised and excited to dig in! I also took some to a friend who’s recovering from surgery. It just so happened, she was feeling a little down that day. I opened the box and six of these adorable fellas were smiling at her and she smiled right back! Bake people happy! Yes!

Let’s get going on making these! The cupcakes include lots of gingerbread spices, eggs, molasses, brown sugar, butter, flour and baking soda (not pictured–water).

You don’t even need a mixer to whip these up! It can all be done by hand. Melt the butter. Have I ever mentioned we don’t own a microwave? I melt my butter double-boiler style.

Combine the molasses, brown sugar, eggs and melted butter in a mixing bowl.

Daisy Mae heard me whisking and ran into my “photo studio” to see if I needed help! Sweet beagle!

Combine the flour, spices, baking soda and salt and add to the wet ingredients. Lots of spices in these! I don’t like a bland gingerbread anything. I want to taste all the spices!

The finished batter will be gooey and smell amazing! Breathe it all in!

Line the cupcake pan and fill. I like to use an ice cream scoop to fill to make them all even. It’s easier too! Once the pan is full, bake them and let them cool completely.

Time to make the frosting. I didn’t get a picture of the ingredients before I started mixing. I was a little eager to get these finished so I could eat one! It’s just a basic cream cheese frosting with the addition of cinnamon. My version is included in the recipe below.

Tip: Before I add the cinnamon, I scoop a little out into a small baggie to use for the gingerbread cookies. It’s easy to pipe and I don’t have to make another kind of frosting.

Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes and top each one with a little gingerbread cookie.

As soon as I put these together, I smile! They truly bring me joy and what could be better than that during this season of hustle and bustle? These guys aren’t in any hurry and I could take a lesson from them!

Delicious doesn’t even begin to describe how wonderful these cupcakes are. Make them, eat them (while guzzling a cup of coffee) and share them. I promise you’ll be energized to finish all the items on your to-do list! You might even accomplish all the tasks with a smile on your face!

From the heart,
Shannon

Gingerbread Cupcakes

Ingredients
Cupcakes (this recipe makes about 20 standard size cupcakes)
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
4 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup molasses
2 large eggs (room temp)
1 cup water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan/muffin tin with paper liners.
Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, molasses, and egg.
Add 1/2 cup of the water to the melted butter mixture, then half the dry mixture, and stir. Add the remaining water and dry mixture, stirring until thoroughly combined.
Scoop the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake the cupcakes for 20 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
Frost with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting (below) and top with a gingerbread cookie.
Smile and enjoy the holidays!

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
8 TBSP unsalted butter (room temp)
12 oz. cream cheese (room temp)
8 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon (or to taste)

Combine all ingredients with a mixer until light and fluffy.
Spoon into a pastry bag and pipe onto cupcakes or use a knife to spread the frosting onto each cupcake.

This is the third and final post of my Apron Strings series. I’ve told you how much I adore my aprons but I am crazy about the apron collection we have for Hannah and Carrie!

I have not purchased a single one of these aprons. They have all been gifts, with the exception of one Carrie made. This little collection started when Hannah was about 3 years old and has, fortunately, extended to Carrie.

These are sure to bring out the kid in you! If you haven’t made something in the kitchen with a child, please try it! If you are lucky enough to have a cute apron, it makes him/her feel extra special so don’t waste another second and make some wonderful memories together! I am thankful for special baking moments with the girls. I am also thankful for cute aprons that have served as dropcloths to splattered eggs, flour, batter, dough and anything else that somehow ended up on them. If these aprons could talk, they’d say most of the baking sessions were full of smiles and kisses. You just can’t beat it!

Here’s the oldest member of our kid apron collection. My mom gave this to Hannah when she was about 3 years old. Hannah thought she was the bee’s knees playing with her toy kitchen while wearing her special apron. It was a staple for Christmas cookie making! I have fond memories of her wearing it over her pajamas, sitting on the counter, cutting out sugar cookies. There are little pieces of velcro on the front that once held bright red oven mitts. I’m not sure where those are but the idea of velcro to hold mitts on an apron is genius!

Here is a set of Christmas aprons my mother-in-law gave to Hannah and Carrie. I’m so glad she gave them matching aprons! These aprons have seen lots of peanut butter kiss cookies and Hannah’s amazing holiday pizzelles!

Here is another of Hannah’s aprons. This one was given to her by our cousin as a Christmas gift about 5 years ago. I kind of have a thing for snowman stuff and think this is adorable and really wish it was mine! That snowman face melts me. Hannah wore this many times when we made snowball cookies (one of her favorites!). Lots of confectioner’s sugar and lots of deliciousness!

The same cousin who sent Hannah the snowman apron, sent this Santa apron to Carrie. So cute, right? Carrie thought she hit the big time in her very own Christmas apron. She wore it all day, everyday for weeks. She seriously thought it was part of her outfit most days of December! Why would I ever object? Cutie!

Now, let’s think SPRING! Casey gave this charming chick to Carrie for Easter the same time he gave me the cute mint green/orange apron featured in Part 2. First, it’s yellow with lavender gingham ruffles. Second, it’s a chick! This apron screams spring! It is the perfect thing to wear when we make carrot cake! It also doubles as a prop for our Easter Egg Vanilla Cakelets.

The next few aprons are really special. The first may look familiar! It’s the other side of the matching Christmas aprons above. This side is a bright red cherry pattern with classic black and white details. The reversible idea is so clever! I have also used this pattern as a background for Swiss Meringue (YUM!).

My mother-in-law gave these to us for Christmas and we can wear our matching cherry side year round. Here’s mine from Part 2. I always wanted to get a photo of all three of us in these but never did. I’m going to work on that this summer because I love that they match!

This apron is so cute! Carrie made this at Vacation Bible School the year we had a cooking theme. It’s artsy, fun and one of a kind! The kids used stamps and paint to make their individual creations. Carrie’s name completes this apron and it is truly a keepsake!

The final apron is one Hannah gave to Carrie. It was from her mission trip I talk about in Part 2. It’s perfectly endearing and dainty and all things girly. At first glance, it makes me think dress instead of apron. Carrie looks adorable in it and it’s my favorite apron on her. The color makes her eyes look extra beautiful! The back is just as lovely as the front. Precious.

Aprons captivated me at a very early age and I have had a soft spot for them for quite some time. After putting this post together, I realize how much I cherish each one. I wish I had more photos of Hannah, Carrie and me wearing them. The truth is, they are just part of what we do when we bake and I never think to snap a photo of us. I will try to do that moving forward. In the meantime, I hope you will share any apron photos you have. I have seen some really cute ones and plan to expand my collection. Don’t be surprised to see an Apron Strings Part 4 in my future! 🙂

From the heart, Shannon

Tag: Christmas

Gingerbread Cupcakes

Apron Strings Part 3