Gingerbread Cuppies!!

Here are some fun gingerbread cupcakes I made for a friend's Christmas party:

Gingerbread cupcakes + cream cheese frosting = mm mm good!

I don't know what's more fantastic -- gingerbread cupcakes or this stupendous cupcake carrier my old supervisor gave me as a gift before we moved.  Let's see, yummy cupcakes or cupcakes arriving safely?  Yeah, it's a toss up.

I even made some with peppermint frosting as a little experiment:

ECA and I have already  decided that there's really nothing too special about them but they are a neat twist on the usual combo!

I think I like the way the sprinkles look on top versus the fondant cutouts from the cupcakes in the post below.  Meh -- lesson learned!

♥GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES♥

Adapted from "Crazy About Cupcakes" by Krystina Castella

Makes 20-24 cupcakes

Ingredients:
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2/3 cup dark molasses (use light molasses if you don't want a strong molasses taste, but I like my gingerbread cupcakes like I like my men: strong 'n' spicy!)
2 teaspoons lemon zest (I omitted this)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup sour cream

Directions:

1. HEAT oven to 350°F and line cupcake tins.
2. CREAM together butter and sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy.
3. ADD the egg and molasses.  If you're using lemon zest, add it here, too. 
4. In a separate bowl, MIX together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.  
5. ADD dry mixture to wet, alternating with sour cream.
6. SPOON mixture into cupcake tins, filling liners 2/3 full. 
7. BAKE for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cupcakes comes out clean.
8. SERVE as-is or frost with desired frosting (I used cream cheese frosting and peppermint buttercream)