Challenge No 12 - Christmas Gingerbread Man Cupcakes

Month 12 - December
Blog 12 - Tidy Mom http://tidymom.net/
Recipe 12 - Christmas Gingerbread Man Cupcakes http://tidymom.net/2011/gingerbread-cupcakes/

I have no idea what has happened... but I cannot locate any step by step photos I took of making the actual cupcakes %;'&*? What the?? But on the other hand I have some really nice pics of the finished product, and isn't that the main thing? I am certain it is. Ok so I'll stop convincing myself lamely now and apologise to all my peeps for the absence of the step by step pictorial, they are super easy peasy so go for it and bake a batch this holiday season. You will adore them!

Christmas Gingerbread Man Cupcakes

1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup Castor Sugar
1/2 cup Molasses
1 Egg - room temp
1 1/2 cups Plain (all purpose) Flour
1/2 Tbsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Ground Cloves
1/2 cup Boiling Water
1/2 tsp Bi Carb (Baking) Soda

Pre heat your oven to 180 (or 350) degrees.  Line your cupcake pan with patty wrappers or grease and flour well.

In your mixing bowl combine your sugar, oil and molasses and put mixer on medium and mix well.  Then add in your egg and mix until combined.

Sift all your dry ingredients into a large seperate bowl, whisk them lightly together, be careful not to whisk much as you will bruise the flour and raising agents.  Gradually add the dry ingredients into your wet mixture and stir through gently.

Boil your water in a small saucepan, once boiled, remove it from the heat and stir in the Baking (Bi-carb) soda.   Whisk it quickly then into your cake batter.

Take your batter and fill each cupcake wrapper approximately two thirds (2/3) full, and tap it on the bench to remove air bubbles and place pans in the oven on middle shelf and bake for 20-25 minutes.  Test before removing from the oven that you cupcakes spring back when touched, or that a skewer comes out clean once put through the centre of a cupcake.

Frost your cupcakes once they have completely cooled down.

The frostings I found most compatible with these cupcakes are a Toasted Marshmallow (preferably boiled) or a Lemon Buttercream.