Gingerbread Cupcakes

I hope everyone is having a great weekend? The weather was being just so good to us, blue skies and trees full of changing colour.  I really feel like Autumn has come in full swing now, the days are much colder and the wind is a lot wilder! With all those changes I always like to start baking for the season. Ginger is one of my go-to flavours and having baked gingerbread men last week, I couldn't help but bake up a batch of these babies!

November is my get prepared for Christmas month, I hate the rush and hustle and bustle that Christmas brings but I absolutely adore the Christmas season. I try to plan and prep and get what I can over and done with in November and really slow down coming up to the big day. These yummy cupcakes really helped with my festive spirit and list making!

Gingerbread Cupcakes

225g self-raising flour

125g light brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground ginger

280ml buttermilk

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/ 350F or gas mark 4 and line a 12 (or two 6) hole cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl mix together the flour, sugars, and baking powder.

In a separate jug, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, maple syrup and vanilla. Add this into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, don’t over mix. Scoop out even spoons to fill the cupcake liners to 2/3 full.

Bake for 18-20 minutes and remove form the oven.  Leave the cupcakes in the pan for 10 minutes then remove each one and leave to cool on a wire rack. Frost when cold.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

260g icing sugar

80g unsalted butter, softened

40g cream cheese

2tbs maple syrup

Beat together the butter, cream cheese and maple syrup. On a low speed add in the icing sugar, a small bit at a time. 

Mix on medium speed until it comes together. (You could add a little milk if you’ve reached a too stiff consistency.) Keep on mixing until soft and fluffy.

Using a plain piping tip, pipe rounds onto each cupcake and dust lightly in cinnamon.