Gingerbread Mini Cupcakes

I love gingerbread! This is a shortcut dessert you can make quickly and by adding the sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs, as it really jazzes them up and makes them festive. And you’ll love the w/browned butter cream cheese frosting!

Gingerbread cake reminds me of my childhood. Growing up my mom would always make the boxed Betty Crocker Gingerbread as a treat sometimes. She would always top it with Cool Whip.  We thought it was amazing.  I still love the boxed cake mix, it's very good! 

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Tools Used:

Perforated Baking Sheet, Mini Muffin Tray, Mini Whisk, Bonmat, Blender Spatula,Pastry Bag Stand, Pastry Bag, Pastry Bag Tips

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Ingredients

• 1 box Gingerbread Cake Mix. or your favorite Gingerbread Cake Recipe

• (I like Betty Crocker Brand), prepared

• Sugared Cranberries (optional)

• Rosemary Springs (optional) 

  Frosting

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Place the Mini Muffin Tray on a Perforated Baking Sheet.  

2. Prepare the cake mix as directed.  Using a cookie scoop, fill the wells of the muffin tray with the cake batter.  

3. Bake for 10-15 minutes until done.  Let cool and then unmold.  

   Frosting

4. Brown the butter-Cook 2 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with the Mini Whisk until it foams, turns clear, and then turns a deep brown.   

5. Pour brown butter into a mixer bowl and let cool to room temperature.  

6. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and cream cheese to the mixer bowl and beat until combined.  Mix in vanilla and salt.  Beat in powdered sugar on low speed until incorporated, then on medium speed until soft and creamy.  

7. Frost the cupcakes and decorate as desired.  

   Sugared Cranberries

8. Place a wire rack over a Bonmat.  Combine 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.  

9. Let cool.  Add fresh cranberries to the saucepan and coat completely in the simple syrup.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cranberries to the wire rack.  

10. Separate the cranberries into a single layer, and let dry for 1 hour, then roll the cranberries in sugar to coat.  Transfer sugared cranberries to a clean baking sheet and let dry for 1 hour before using.