Recipe: Gingerbread Cupcakes Made With Fresh Ginger {No Beaters Required & Perfect For Fall or Christmas!}

I am on the biggest ginger kick right now! Ginger beer and ginger in juices – Oh yeah! And at this time of year I am hearing all about fall and pumpkin spice from my US friends. Normally, the spring weather here cancels out the desire for those fall goodies but this year the weather has been so unseasonably wet and stormy and well, more fall like than springy. I love things to be in cupcake form (I know it’s not cool anymore) because it makes it so easy to share cake. I divided these between Mums, my Sister and our house. These are gorgeously deep and dark and satisfyingly warm and zingy.

Despite the ridiculous amount of sweeteners in this recipe, it’s not overtly sweet. Australian and UK readers will have easy access to golden syrup and treacle but US readers can use light corn syrup and molasses. It also uses fresh ginger (I grate mine on a microplane) for some punch and also because the last thing my fridge needs is another jar, even if it is delicious stem ginger. It’s a very liquid batter, so I used a batter dispenser to get it into the patty pans. I know, who has a batter dispenser? Don’t blame me, Mr Ask bought it from eBay for pancakes!

I think are on the favourites list. Whipped cream was the perfect accompaniment, although I think this could be lovely plain. I know I’ll be making this recipe at Christmas time, the flavours are too perfect not to. I think it would be great made as one cake in a loaf tin (in which case I’d bake for around 75 mins) and eaten toasted with butter for a Christmas morning treat.  It’s so easy, no beaters or anything, it’s makes a great brunch dish. Whatever, they’re great, trust me – go bake them!

Ingredients

• 125g golden syrup or light corn syrup
• 125g treacle or molasses
• 125g brown sugar
• 125 g butter
• 100ml strong black coffee
• 2 tblsp fresh grated ginger
• 60 ml water
• 3/4 tsp bicarbonate soda
• 2 eggs, lightly whisked
• 250g plain flour
• 1 tsp dried ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground all spice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 170C and line muffin tray with paper patty pans.
2. Add the golden syrup, treacle, brown sugar, butter, coffee and fresh ginger to a small saucepan and heat until all the ingredients are liquid. Remove from the heat.
3. Stir the water and bicarb together until well mixed and add to the liquid mix in the saucepan. Set aside.
4. Add the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
5. Add a small amount (a tablespoon or so) of the warm liquid mix to the eggs and whisk briskly. Repeat. Very slowly pour the eggs into the saucepan, whisking constantly. Go gently, you don’t want to to end up with scrambled eggs!
6. Pour the liquid mixture into the flour and whisk by hand until well combined.
7. Spoon the mixture into the patty pans, filling each on about 1/2-3/4 full (makes approx. 16-18 cupcakes). Bake for 20 mins or till a skewer comes out clean.