Tastes Like Christmas
Isn’t it weird how some food make you think of a certain time of year. No matter what the weather is like, that taste takes you back to some other time and memory.
That is what happened with hubby and I ate these cupcakes. They taste like Christmas. We both said it after the first bite. I was somewhat surprised because the cookbook has a gingerbread cupcake recipe in it and I thought that would taste like Christmas and these wouldn’t, but they do. They are very good though!
Spice Cupcakes – 5 WW PTS with frosting (from Crazy about Cupcakes) makes 12
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup boiling water
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour – I use King Arthurs White Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
Preheat over to 350F. Insert liners into a medium cupcake pan.
In a small bowl combine the molasses and boiling water. Set aside.
In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Add the egg to the creamed mixture. Beat well.
In a separate bowl combine the remaining ingredients.
Beat the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, alternating with the molasses mixture. Beat well after each addition.
Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cupcakes comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan.
Cream Cheese Frosting (cheat version)
Mix 8 oz cream cheese with a tub of store-bought vanilla frosting.
Nutritional Information (please double check with your ingredients and serving sizes – I use this recipe calculator)
Cupcake: 142.7 Calories, 4.6g Fat, 28.1 mg Cholesterol, 213 mg Sodium, 209.4 mg Potassium, 22.8 g Carbs, 1.6 g Dietary Fiber, 12.3 g Sugar, 2.4 g Protein
WW POINTS = 3
Frosting: 67.2 Calories, 3.1g Fat, 3.3 mg Cholesterol, 56.9 mg Sodium, 4.4 mg Potassium, 9.1 g Carbs, 0 g Dietary Fiber, 8.5 g Sugar, 0.7 g Protein
WW POINTS = 2
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
You chose a great recipe! I’m glad you liked it. Did your friend like the recipe from Smitten Kitchen? I liked that one too, but it was a little more chocolately than I was looking for.
What a cool way to frost! That is so nifty – can’t wait to try. Thanks, Jen!
Amy said her sister enjoyed them so they seemed to be well received. I wanted something bright red and without a ton of food coloring. Those are the main reasons I chose the recipe I did. Then I saw your comparison post while the cupcakes were in the oven, I saw your post and it reassured my choice!
Ooooooh brown sugar cream cheese frosting! I’m intrigued.
Those look great!
Ooooooh brown sugar cream cheese frosting! I’m intrigued.
Those look great!
this looks great! I’ll have to try this to bring to work because my CWs only eat CMR’s red velvet cake!
Ooh that frosting technique looks amazing! Give you most frosting to eat, too!
That gives me an idea! What if I put something else in the cone? Maybe a melted chocolate or something. Hmmm have to think about that. Beautiful post.
Yep Sheila – I do that all the time. If you look at the other cupcakes in my blog, I’ve stuffed bananas, peanut butter, jams etc in cupcakes. It’s probably my favorite way to make a cupcake!
I love removing the cone from my cupcakes as well. More yummy frosting!! 🙂
Oooh I’ll have to try out this red velvet recipe and compare too. I think it’s so interesting that every RV recipe that is slightly different but basically the same can give you different taste results. Love the new frost method!
/Clara
So…I realize I’m seriously late to the party, but I’m so glad you like the red velvet recipe! The frosting sounds delish 🙂