From Ina Garten
For the cupcakes:
1/4 cup dark rum or water
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup unsulfured molasses
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1-1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup minced dried crystallized ginger (not in syrup), more for decoration
For the Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
Preheat the oven to 350o F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
Place
the rum and raisins in a small pan, cover and heat until the rum
boils. Remove from heat and let them cool. Place the butter and
molasses in another pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour the
mixture into the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle
attachment. Cool for 10 minutes and mix in sour cream and orange zest.
Meanwhile,
sift the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt together
into a small bowl. Mix until well combined. With the mixer on low
speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture and mix only
until smooth. Drain the raisins and add them and the crystallized
ginger to the mixture with a spatula.
Divide the batter among the
muffin pan (1 rounded standard ice cream scoop per cup is the right
amount. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or
until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from
the pan.
For the frosting, mix the cream cheese, butter, orange
zest and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle
attachment until just combined. Add the sugar and mix until smooth.
When the cupcakes are cool, frost them generously and garnish with a slice of crystallized ginger.
- Recipe courtesy of Cathy Pollak