Cupcake 56 - Gingerbread cupcakes with a Lemmon Glaze

Gingerbread is a favorite of mine, not so much as a cookie but as a cake. I love how all the different spices come together to give you a deeper flavor than a regular spice cake. I used both fresh ginger and ground ginger along with white pepper in this recipe. I thought about adding candied ginger as well, but at the last minute changed my mind fearing ginger overload. Because I wanted to stay true to the spices and allow them to shine, I went with a subtle lemon glaze, just a little bit of tart with the sweet ginger cake. Overall I liked the mix of spice, the fresh ginger was a good addition. Next time I will add some candied ginger as well, what the heck, its GINGER bread right?

Makes 32 cupcakes

3 c AP flour
2 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1/2 t cloves
1/4 t allspice
1 t ground ginger
3/4 t white pepper
1 t salt
1 c unsalted butter
1/2 c water
1 c packed dark brown sugar
3/4 c unsulphured molasses
1/4 c spiced rum
6 eggs, room temperature
1/2 c grated fresh ginger

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ground ginger, white pepper and salt, set aside. Combine water and butter in microwave safe bowl, heat until butter melts. In bowl of standing mixer combine brown sugar and melted butter water mixture, mix until well combined. Add eggs one at time mixing between additions. Add molasses and rum, again beat for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl. Add fresh ginger and flour mixture beating until just combined. Fill lined cupcake pans 3/4 full, bake at 350, for 14-18 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Lemon Glaze

1/4 c lemon juice
1 t lemon zest
1/2 powdered sugar

Combine lemon juice and zest in small bowl, add powdered sugar a teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency. Drizzle on cupcakes.