How To Make Cute Gingerbread Cupcakes In A Jar

    CREAM CHEESE FROSTING alert. Check out more food gifts here.

    Emily Fleischaker
    by Emily Fleischaker

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Adapted from King Arthur Flour

    Makes 12 cupcakes, enough to give six 13-oz jam jars (pictured here)

    INGREDIENTS

    For cupcakes

    1 3/4 cups (206g) all-purpose flour

    1 teaspoon baking soda

    2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

    2 teaspoons ground ginger

    1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

    1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

    1/4 teaspoon salt

    1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

    1/2 cup (106g) packed dark brown sugar

    1/2 cup (170g) molasses

    1 large egg

    1/2 cup (113g) water

    1/3 cup finely chopped crystalized ginger

    For frosting

    8 ounces unsalted butter, softened

    8 ounces cream cheese, softened

    2 cups powdered sugar

    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    For gift assembly

    Twine and a plastic or wooden spoon

    Special equipment

    Plastic Ziploc bag

    Electric mixer

    Get decorating info here.

    PREPARATION

    For cupcakes

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

    2. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cups and lightly grease the cups.

    3. To make the cupcakes: Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Sift and set aside.

    4. Whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, molasses, and egg.

    4) Add 1/4 cup of the water to the melted butter mixture. Then add half the dry mixture to the butter mixture and stir. Add the remaining water and dry mixture, stirring just to combine.

    5. Fold in the crystalized ginger.

    6. Divide the batter evenly among the cups, filling 3/4 of the way full, and bake for 22 to 24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of one cupcake comes out clean.

    7. Cool cupcakes for 30 minutes before frosting.

    For frosting:

    In a large bowl, combine butter and cream cheese and beat on low with an electric mixer. Add the powdered sugar a cup at a time beating on low until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract last.

    To assemble each gift:

    1. Take the paper cup wrapper off of two cooled cupcakes.

    2. Transfer the frosting to a large Ziploc bag. Seal the bag then cut off a corner and use as a pastry bag.

    3. Place one cupcake in the jar and cover with frosting from piping bag. Repeat.

    4. Seal the jar and tie a wooden spoon to it with twine.