Gingerbread Cupcakes

Vanilla Garlic is hosting a Cupcake Round-up — such a good idea! Cupcakes are so lovely: petite and beautiful, who doesn’t love a little cake topped by a swath of rich frosting and a few sprinkes?

But sometimes you’re not in the mood for something light and sweet, but something a bit denser and spicy. Something that can stand up to a strong cup of tea or coffee. Something that won’t leave smears of chocolate on your face.

Gingerbread is that something. And in cupcake form? Even better.

While this is a “light” recipe, you wouldn’t know it. The cupcake has a crisp top with a moist and dense middle, brimming with spice and molasses flavor. I changed the source recipe a bit, adding some more spices, a bit of salt, and substituting egg whites for merigue powder mixed with water.

I finished these with a simple dust of powdered sugar, but I’m thinking about playing a bit more. A light dip in a lemon glaze would add a nice bit of zing.

Gingerbread Cupcakes

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-grain wheat flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup molasses
3 large egg white(s) (or 1/4 cup water plus 2 Tbsp and 2 Tbsp meringue powder)

Preheat oven to 325-degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper muffin liners.

Combine flours, sugar, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and allspice in a large bowl; mix well. Add applesauce, molasses and egg whites; stir until mixture is moist and well-combined. Fill each muffin tin 2/3 full with batter.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cupcakes to room temperature and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Grade: B