Cupcake #2--Gingerbread

I have three things to share. Something strange, something funny, and something wonderful.

Something strange--You know in recipes when it tells you approximately how many cupcakes, cookies, servings, you should get? I never actually get that number. Take this gingerbread cupcake recipe for example. It says 1 1/2 dozen. I get two.

Something funny--Granted this will only be funny to me, but my oven bakes things at super speeds. Really. This gingerbread recipe says bake 25 minutes. Mine bake in 12. It's like that for every recipe. I have an oven thermometer and it is spot on. I just have a superhero oven, I guess.

Something wonderful--These Gingerbread cupcakes. For real, they're wonderful. They are the second official addition to the kiosk menu.

That means so far there are:
-Pumpkin Cupcakes with Clove Frosting
-Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Gingerbread Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark molasses
2 large eggs
2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 c. boiling water

Here is how the original recipe reads, plus my additions.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and salt. In a large bowl beat together the butter, oil, and sugar until pale yellow (mine looked really white, not yellow) and fluffy. Beat in the molasses and eggs until smooth. Put the baking soda into a small bowl or liquid (you’ll need extra room – it bubbles up) measuring cup, and add 3/4 cup boiling water.

Add a third of the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture, beating on low speed just until blended. Add half the water mixture in the same way, then another third of the dry ingredients, the rest of the water mixture and the rest of the dry ingredients, blending just until combined. Fill paper-lined muffin tins 3/4 full and bake for 25 minutes (12-13 minutes for me. Watch very carefully, these cupcakes dry out really fast), or until tops are springy to the touch. Makes 1 1/2 dozen cupcakes (or 24).

If you are worried about the cupcakes being dry, I have found if you add an additional 2-3 tablespoon of vegetable oil it keeps the cupcakes just right.