Ginger cupcakes

So we're all lounging around watching TV and little Miss J is constantly piping up "Mummy - lets make cake".....I suspect the real reason is that she wants to lick the batter from the bowl at the end - but I can't find fault with that! So off we went, she donned her little apron and with a little help around the kitchen from my mum, we whipped up a batch of these lovely beauties which I'd never made before! And as I expected, just as we were nearing the end and the batter was being spooned into the cases - little Miss J goes "Can I lick the bowl, mummy????"....

These cupcakes are very easy and very yummy - even if I say so myself - they didn't last long in our home!!! Try it without the frosting for a more moderate version!

I find it quite hard to take pictures of the process when I'm baking with little Miss J, so apologies for just the final pics.

Try these out, share them with friends and leave me a comment - I would love to hear from you. Here is the recipe.

Stem Ginger cupcakes – makes 12 cupcakes

120 g plain flour
140 g golden caster sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp mixed spice
A pinch of salt
40 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
120 ml milk (I used semi skimmed)
1 egg
¼ tsp vanilla extract
100 g stem ginger, finely chopped

Glaze
50 ml stem ginger syrup

Frosting
225g cream cheese
4 tsp lemon juice
40 g icing sugar
2 tsp ginger glaze
Grated lemon rind (to decorate)
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius
2. Put the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon, mixed spice and butter in a bowl and mix together until you get a breadcrumb consistency. This is best done with your fingers, but you can use an electric mixer if you like.
3. Slowly pour in half the milk a little at a time until it is all incorporated.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining milk, egg and vanilla extract.
5. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and continue beating with a whisk until very well incorporated.
6. Fold in the chopped stem ginger.
7. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases until 2/3 full and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 – 25 minutes or until the top of the cupcake bounces back when touched.
8. When the cakes are baking, add 50 ml water to the stem ginger syrup in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Allow it to reduce to 1/3 the original quantity.
9. When cupcakes are ready, take them out of the oven and pour a small amount of glaze over each one while they are still slightly warm. You will be left with just a couple of teaspoons of glaze which you can use for the frosting.
10. If you are using frosting, beat together all the frosting ingredients (except the lemon rind). You may want to keep this in the refrigerator for some time as the cupcakes cool so that it is easier to spread.
11. Spoon frosting onto the cupcake and decorate with a sprinkling of lemon rind.


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