The Best Spice Cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

These cupcakes are the best!!! The spice flavor is just outstanding and I'm sorry it took me so long to try them. If you love gingerbread and all things spice then you have to make them.

The recipe has been hanging around in my files for a while ( I say that a lot, don't I?) and today I wanted to try making cupcakes using parchment paper liners, rather than just the usual muffin paper liners and I thought of this one to try. This recipe is from the Beverly Hills cupcake bakery, "Sprinkles". Probably by now you've caught the show, Cupcake Wars", where the owner, Candace Nelson, is one of the judges.

I baked them in a jumbo muffin pan, thinking they needed more room than a standard pan and they came out nice and big, which is kind of what I was aiming for. It was something a little different baking them in the parchment and I really liked the presentation. I'm thinking maybe even a deeper muffin pan would work. Big cupcakes like these could also be split in half (like a cake) with frosting in the middle...kind of a layered cupcake. Oh, the possibilities!

For the frosting, I decided not to use the one that was with this recipe (which was a White Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting that I'm sure was fabulous!). And I didn't want anything to compete too much with that delicious spice flavor so I chose a Honey Cinnamom Cream Cheese Frosting that worked perfectly.



Yum!

The parchemnt paper was being stubborn so I turned over a cup and pressed the paper into the bottom, creasing the edges to have it keep a shape that would fit into the cups.

Then to keep the paper in the cups, I put a drop of butter (like glue) to hold the paper down.

Begin by whisking the dry ingredients and spices in a bowl, then set it aside.

Combine the molasses and milk in a measuring cup.

Cream the butter on medium high speed for 3-5 minutes.

Then add the sugar and beat til light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time.

The add the molasses/milk mixture alternately with the flour.

Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula to be sure it's all incorporated.

Then scoop the batter into the parchment liners and bake.

Let them cool, then frost.

The Best Spice Cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting ( cupcakes from Sprinkles)

Makes 12 regular size or 6 jumbo size.

Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups (mine weighed 7 oz.) AP flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup unsulphured molasses

1/2 cup milk

1 stick ( 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

Frosting:

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tbsp. honey

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 scant tbsp. milk

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Preheat oven to 350. Line standard muffin pans with liners ,(if using). Or, ( if using), cut six 6" squares of parchment paper and press each over the bottom of a cup or glass, creasing the folds to keep the shape.(To keep the parchment in place, put a drop of butter in the bottom of each cup before putting in the paper.)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Set aside.

2. In a glass measuring cup, mix the molasses and milk and set aside.

3. Cream the butter on medium-high speed for 3 - 5 minutes.

4. Gradually add the sugar to the creamed butter and beat til light and fluffy.

5. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.

6. With mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and milk/molasses mixture alternately, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape the bowl occasionally with a spatula.

7. Scoop the batter into the paper liners or parchment and bake for approx. 20 minutes, or til a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Don't overbake.

8. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

1. Cream butter til light and fluffy.

2. Add the cream cheese and beat 2 minutes.

3. Add the honey and cinnamon and beat together.

4. Gradually add in the confectioners' sugar, a little at a time til it's smooth, then add in the milk. If the consistency is a little too thin, add in more sugar or if too thick add in a little more milk.

Fill a piping bag with frosting and decorate the tops or just use a knife to frost.

Enjoy!