Gingerbread is the most recognizable Christmastime flavor; the scent of its signature spices baking in the oven fills a home with holiday cheer. These cupcakes are made with the same mixture of spices—nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, and ginger—as the tiny gingerbread-cookie boys and girls they are topped with. The recipe for the cookie dough will yield more cutouts than you need to decorate twenty-two cupcakes; serve extra cookies alongside.

　　

Ingredients

makes 22

　　

for cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

　　2 tablespoons ground ginger

　　2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

　　1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

　　1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

　　1 1/2 cups sugar

　　3 tablespoons unsulfured molasses

　　4 large eggs, room temperature

　　1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

　　

for decorating

Gingerbread Cookie Cutouts (page 320; use 2-inch ginger-bread boy and girl cutters)

　　1/2 recipe Royal Icing (page 315)

　　Blue and pink gel-paste food colors

　　Fluffy Vanilla Frosting (page 302)

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together flour and spices.

　　

Step 2

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the molasses, and beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until just combined.

　　

Step 3

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 3 months, in airtight containers.

　　

Step 4

Tint 1/4 cup icing pale pink with gel-paste food color; tint remaining icing pale blue. Transfer tinted icings to pastry bags fitted with small plain tips (#2). Pipe three blue dots on the front of each gingerbread cookie boy; pipe two pink dots on gingerbread girls.

　　

Step 5

To finish, use an offset spatula to spread each cupcake with a smooth layer of frosting. Place a gingerbread boy or girl upright on each cupcake before serving.

　　Martha Stewart's Cupcakes