Gingerbread Cupcakes with Penuche Frosting

Well these tasted really good. But when it came to piping the frosting, again not what I had pictured in my head, oh well I am going to keep trying. At least the taste has been consistently good. I guess thats more important. But I do get disappointed when I see the finished product. Why dont they look like the "other" cupcakes. Oh the cupcake peer pressure.

Gingerbread Cupcakes

   * 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
   * 2 tsp. baking powder

   * 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
   * 1/2 tsp. salt
   * 2 Tbsp. ground ginger
   * 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
   * 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
   * 1 (8 Tbsp.) stick unsalted butter, melted
   * 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
   * 4 large eggs
   * 12 Tbsp. molasses
   * 1 1/2 cups water



To Make Gingerbread Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 muffin tins with paper liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves into a medium bowl.
Whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and molasses in a large bowl until blended. Add some of the water to batter then some of the dry ingredients to the batter. Continue alternating with the water and flour until everything is added and smooth.
Fill each paper liner with 1/3 cup of the batter, about 1/4-inch below the top of the liner.
Place into preheated oven and bake just until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted into the center come out clean, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.  Frost with molasses cream cheese frosting.

Penuche Frosting

   * 1/2 cup butter
   * 1 cup brown sugar
   * 1/4 cup hot milk

   * powdered sugar (about 3 cups)

Melt butter in a large saucepan
Add brown sugar and bring to a boil
Continue cooking for 1 minute until thickens
Let set 15 minutes
Mix in hot milk
Add powdered sugar gradually till spreading consistency, if it gets too thick add a little milk.

The frosting was really good, a rich brown sugar frosting, these were some of the favorites of my tester, my nephew Ian and his roommate. I need someone to bake for. I cant eat all these cupcakes! Ok we will see what happens next time, stay tuned.