Sometimes I bake something that transcends what I believe about my own baking abilities. My friend Carla, who is also a baker, understands what I mean by this. We know we can bake, and other people clearly enjoy our treats. If we each had a nickel for every time we’ve been told we should really be baking for a living, we could…well, open our own bakery.
Perhaps it’s the recipe, which I adapted from the Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook spice cake recipe to have an even distribution of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Perhaps it’s the maple cream cheese frosting, which I invented based on a few other recipes to my own taste preference. Perhaps it’s the combination of the two. I don’t know what makes these cupcakes so delicious, but they truly are. I mean, dee-lish-us. So if Carla and I do finally get to open our own bakery someday, you can bet they’ll be on the menu.
Note: this recipe yields 24 regular-sized cupcakes and 16 miniature cupcakes. And seriously, folks, use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup or maple flavoring, for the frosting. You’ll thank me later.
Spice Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- heaping 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- heaping 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- heaping 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- heaping 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. You’ll note that the measurements for the spices are heaping, so seriously, don’t hold back.
In a mixing bowl, beat butter and shortening on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add sugar and vanilla and cream together until well-combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternatively, beginning and ending with the flour and beating until just combined after each addition.
Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, scoop batter into regular-sized cupcake pans, filling about halfway full; use a 1-inch cookie scoop to fill miniature cupcake pan.
Bake regular-sized cupcakes for 18-20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Bake miniature cupcakes for 8-10 minutes, also until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool in pans for a few minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks before frosting.
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 5 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Preparation
In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese for 2-3 minutes, until very smooth and well-blended.
Add one cup powdered sugar, beating until combined, followed by 2 tablespoons maple syrup, again beating until well-combined. Add additional cups powdered sugar and remaining tablespoons of maple syrup alternatively, beating until frosting is very smooth.
Transfer frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip and pipe frosting onto cupcakes. Store in the refrigerator, but bring to room temperature before serving.
Just had the Spice Cupcake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting…I want some more please. Delicious and not too sweet.
any time! just let mike know…i’ll be happy to bake you some more.
Every year since I gave up on pumpkin pie for my birthday cake, I’ve had spice cake with maple frosting! It’s a simple box mix with my mom’s maple butter-cream frosting and nothing in this world is nearly as good. Interesting twist with the cream cheese, I might have to try it!
why on earth would you give up on pumpkin pie for your birthday cake? birthday pie would be awesome 🙂
These look sooooo yummy! I love spice anything!