Ginger Inspirations

The inspiration for making a lovely gingerbread comes from several different sources. This all assumes that one needs justification for a good baking session....

* The blog of my friend Kathy a few blogs back.

http://bloominpics.blogspot.com/2009/11/comfortingwarm-gingerbread-served-with.html

* The combination of my favourite Tazo iced tea, lemon/ginger.

* The recipe I saw in a recent Imbibe magazine.

* A jar of stemmed ginger.

* The holiday season.

and....

* The weather!









I used the recipe from the November/December 2009 issue of Imbibe magazine, but I added a few twists.

http://www.imbibemagazine.com/

They quote the recipe from a cookbook called 'All Cakes Considered.' The producer of the radio program 'All Things Considered' is well known for bringing delicious cakes into work. The recipes were made into a cookbook.

http://www.amazon.com/All-Cakes-Considered-Melissa-Gray/dp/0811867811/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259094706&sr=1-1&tag=imbibmagaz-20




Gingerbread Cupcakes

1/2 c. butter
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 lrg. egg
1 c. treacle (twist)
1 c. dark beer
2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 8oz. jar stemmed ginger, drained of syrup and finely chopped (twist)
dash of salt
crystallised ginger

Icing:
juice of 4 lemons (twist)
2 - 8 oz. containers cream cheese
1/2 c. butter
3 c. icing sugar

Whip together until smooth. Set aside.




Preheat oven to 350 deg. Line a muffin tin with holiday cupcake liners. (twist)

Cream the butter and brown sugar. Add egg, treacle and beer. Beat well for a couple minutes. combine dry ingredients in separate bowl. Add to wet ingredients slowly until all is smoothly combined. Fold in stemmed ginger. pour batter into cups. Bake for approx 20 minutes. Cool completely. Frost with icing. Garnish with cut crystallised ginger.



These strongly flavoured cupcakes are guaranteed to give you a lemon/ginger kick in the pants!!! Believe me, that is a GOOD thing this time of year.