What do you do on a rainy Sunday evening when all the showings of The Hunger Games are sold out? Make ginger cupcakes with brown sugar cream cheese frosting.
Adapted from Martha Stuart’s Ginger and Molasses Cupcakes
Cupcakes
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2/3 cup unsulfured molasses
2 large eggs
1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter
1/3 cup hot milk
6 oz fresh ginger, peeled and minced
Mince the ginger. A husband who’s handy with a knife is a plus.
Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together sugar, molasses and eggs until smooth. Whisk in melted butter and the hot milk. Add a generous splash of spiced rum if you’d like. Stir in flour mixture until just incorporated, then stir in the ginger.
Bake at 350 until a toothpick in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
The Frosting
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp cardamom
1 tbs spiced rum
Whip together butter, cream cheese, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir in cardamom and rum until just mixed, then whip until lightened in color, about 5 minutes.
Combine frosting and cupcakes. Enjoy.
painted my toenails light green, in honor of springtime