This time of year gives us Gingerbread lattes at Starbucks and Pumpkin Spice Frappachino’s and what better treat to go along with these wonderful cups of smooth Fall flavors than a gingerbread cupcake. I found this recipe in a Food Newwork magazine and they are so good. They had them frosted with Caramelized Mango buttercream which I will also share with you but I liked them with the browned butter frosting, so thought I would give you both recipes and let you choose which one you liked.
Before you start making the cupcakes, make the ginger syrup so it can be cooling while preparing the cupcake batter.
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 2″ piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
To make the syrup combine the granulated sugar, fresh ginger and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the sugar has melted and the mixture thickens slightly, about 2 min. Remove from the heat and leet infuse for 30 min. Strain the syrup before using.
Cupcake batter:
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tables baking powder
3/4 teas baking soda
1/4 teas salt
1 tables ground ginger
2 teas ground cinnammon
1/4 teas ground cloves
3 tables unsalted butter, melted
3 tables vegetable oil
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
6 tables molasses
3/4 cup water
Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 muffin tins with cupcake liners and spray the liners with cooking spray.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnammon and cloves into a medium bowl.
Whisk the melted butter, oil, brown sugar, eggs, molasses and 3/4 cup water in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth.
Fill each paper liner with 1/3 cup batter, about 1/4 ” below the top of the liner. Bake just until the tops feel firm and a tooghpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. (about 12-15 min)
Remove from oven and brush the tops liberally with the ginger syrup. Let sit in the pan for 5 min before removing. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
Mango Buttercream
2 cups (4 sticks) plus 2 tables slightly cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 small or 2 large ripe mangoes, coarsely chopped
6 large egg yolks
Cooking spray
34 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tables vanilla extract
1/4 cup finely diced candied ginger, for garnish
Heat 2 tables butter in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the mangoes and cook until caramelized and soft, about 10 min. Transfer to a food processor and process until smooth. Pass the mixture through a medium mesh strainer into a bowl. Discard the solids.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (If you don’t have one, just use your hand mixer, it will take a little more energy, as you will have to stand there and mix it), fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks on high speed until creamy and pale yellow, about 5 min.
Spray a heatproof measuring cup with cooking spray. Combine the sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan and bring to a full rolling boil over medium -high heat. Cook without stirring until the syrup reaches the soft-boiled stage (238-242 degrees) on a candy thermometer. Immediately pour the syrup into the measuring cup to halt the cooking. Add a small amount of the sugar syrup to the beaten egg yolks. Turn the mixer on to high speed and bat for about 5 sec. Continue stopping the mixer adding syrup and bating until all the syrup is incorporated. Beat the mixture until it is completely cool.Add the remaining 2 cups butter a few pieces at a time, beating until mixed before adding more. When all the butter has been blended in add the vanilla and the mango puree and beat until combined. Frost the top of each cupcake liberally with the mango buttercream and garnish wih the candied giner.
Browned Butter frosting:
1 cup butter
1 16 oz box of powdered sugar
1/4 to 1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
Cook butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, 6 to 8 min or until butter begins to turn golden brown. Remove pan from heat immediately, and pour butter into a small bowl. Cover and chill 1 hour or until butter is cool and begins to solidify. Beat butter at medium speed with mixer until fluffy; gradually add powdered sugar alternately with milk, beginning and ending with sugar. Beat mixture at low speed until well blended after each addition and stir in vanilla. Spread over cooled cake. Sprinkle pecans over top..Store covered in fridge but take out about an hour before serving, or leave at room temp if serving same day…
Chocolate Castles 