Ingredients
Scale
- Cupcakes:
- 1–1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1–1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp. allspice
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 stick plus 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened, OR 1/4 c. vegetable oil
- 1/2 c. granulated sugar
- 1/2 c. unsulfured molasses
- 1 large egg, beaten lightly
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- Icing:
- 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 lb. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp. orange zest
- 1/2 tsp.pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 lb. (about 2 c.) confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and salt.
- With an electric mixer, mix together sugar and butter (or oil), until fluffy (or blended if using oil).
- Beat in molasses and egg, until smooth.
- In a measuring cup, combine the baking soda with 1/2 c. boiling water, and stir the mixture to dissolve the baking soda.
- Stir the water and baking soda into the molasses mixture (the mixture may appear curdled, if using butter).
- Slowly mix in flour and spices, stirring to combine.
- Line twelve 1/2-cup muffin tins with paper liners and spoon the batter into the liners, filling them halfway.
- Bake the cupcakes in the middle of your oven for 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. (The cupcakes will be flat or slightly indented on top.)
- Transfer the cupcakes to a rack and let them cool completely before icing.
- For the icing, 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 confectioners sugar and mix until smooth. Adjust the consistency with a little milk if needed.