Chocolate Gingerbread Cupcakes

This recipe might not fit into the season anymore, but it is the fourth recipe in 125 Best Cupcake Recipes by Julie Hasson. Chocolate Gingerbread Cupcakes would have been perfect around Christmas time, but it's better late than never. At least now I know I have a good gingerbread cupcake recipe for later this year!

These were neither too moist nor too dry. They were just right. Also, the taste of ginger was just enough to please both extremes: the ginger lovers and the ginger haters. My mother is a ginger hater, so she was reluctant to try them. She tried them, regardless (by them, I mean the original cupcakes and the variation). She said that both tasted great and had good texture, but that the variation is definitely for the ginger lovers of the world.

Here is the flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, allspice, and salt.

In the mixing bowl, I put the sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla.

The flour mixture and the buttermilk are by the sink. Why? I don't really know why =)

Once the batter was mixed, I folded in the chocolate chips and the raisins.

I like how the batter had a slightly reddish shade of brown. It was more visible in person than in the picture.

Cooling in the pan...

...and cooling on the rack.

These were frosted with Chocolate Fudge Frosting. It seems to be used alot in this book.

These bake very well, and let the chocolate chips melt slightly. The raisins give these cupcakes the right chewy touch, but they don't take away from the ginger taste.

This recipe included one variation:
Omit the raisins and substitute 1/3 cup chopped candied ginger.

I frosted these with Ginger Cream Cheese Icing. I think I overbeat it too much, and that's why it was runny. Any tips??

These have ground ginger, chopped ginger in the batter and the icing, as well as the ginger decoration.

Whichever one of the two you decide to go with is a good choice. If you want the ginger taste and scent without the actual pieces, go for the original. If you want a good amount of ginger in your cupcake, go for the variation. Both turn out just as nicely textured and nicely tasting.

Here are the featured recipes:

Chocolate Gingerbread Cupcakes
*makes 12 cupcakes*

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup raisins

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350F.
2) Line muffin pan with paper liners.
3) In a small bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, allspice, and salt.
4) In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Alternately whisk in flour mixture and buttermilk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of buttermilk, beating until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips and raisins.
5) Scoop batter into prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 22 to 27 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack. Top cooled cupcakes with frosting.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting
*makes enough to frost 12 to 18 cupcakes*

Ingredients :
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tbsp chocolate cream liqueur
1 tbsp strong brewed coffee or milk
pinch salt

Directions :
1) In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process confectioner's sugar, cocoa powder, butter, chocolate liqueur, coffee, and salt until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary.
2) Spread frosting on cooled cupcakes.

Ginger Cream Cheese Icing
*makes enough to frost 16 or more cupcakes*

Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 tsp ground ginger
pinch salt

Directions:
1) In a bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat together cream cheese and butter until creamy. With mixer on low speed, beat in confectioner's sugar, 1/2 cup at a time so that the sugar doesn't fly all over the place. Increase speed to medium-high, beating until light and fluffy. Add crystallized ginger, ground ginger, and salt, beating until well mixed.
2) Spread frosting over cupcakes and refrigerate until ready to serve or for up to 8 hours.



Recipes from 125 Best Cupcake Recipes by Julie Hasson