Gingerbread Cupcakes w/Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting

Do you think it's too late in the season for a gingerbread cupcake.  I think not.!  We have to get our gingerbread fix with cupcakes since I didn't make any gingerbread cookies this year.  This is a wonderful, easy and moist recipe with a hint of orange in the cake.  The cream cheese frosting also follows thru with the citrus and spice.  Again, great in the mini size and always a favorite at Christmas time.

Gingerbread Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 t. cinnamon
3/4 t. ginger
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup mild flavored molasses
1/2 cup water
zest of one orange.  (ADD HALF of the zest to the gingerbread and the OTHER HALF to the frosting).

In a medium bowl whisk flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, and baking soda and set a side.

Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy.  Add egg, molasses and orange zest and beat for 1 min.

Alternately add the flour mixture and the water beating on low after each addition. Make sure it is all creamed together nicely but do not over mix.

Bake on 350  for REG. SIZE CUPCAKES for 20 min.  Makes 12.    MINI SIZE CUPCAKES bake for 12 min.  Makes 24.


Citrus Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheeese
1/4 cup butter
4 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla
1 good pinch cinnamon
zest of half an orange (Use a microplane and not a grater, you get a finer zest.)

Beat cream cheese and  butter until creamy.

Add half of powdered sugar and and cream together.

Add vanilla, orange zest and cinnamon and cream together.

Add second half of powdered sugar and cream well.

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