Gingerbread Muffins



I know no one is in the mood for sweets this week after all the holiday cookies and cakes, but I love spice cakes and gingerbread men, and no one baked me any little cute men this holiday season!
Oh well, I guess I will have to bake my own gingerbread!

Debra from Smitten Kitchen posted an amazing looking gingerbread cake from Gramercy Tavern in NYC, but I didn't have any Guinness Stout in the house and it was after 10 pm, my usual hour to bake, and was not venturing out to the liquor store.

I decided to try this recipe that I have had for years. It was close to Debra's but not as involved. I added golden raisins and if you like gingerbread, these are for you. Nice and spicy.

I made some in my new little tartlette pans and others in traditional muffin tins.
You can add lemon icing or just powdered sugar.
They were just what I was looking for.

Gingerbread Muffins: makes 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 large egg
1/4 cup applesauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup boiling water


Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper liners.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg in a medium bowl; make a well in the center.

In another bowl, beat egg, applesauce, oil, molasses and sugar, mixing well. Pour mixture into well. Mix batter until just moistened; add water and mix until just blended.



Fill prepared muffin tins two-thirds full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan on wire rack. Sprinkle w/ powdered sugar.



Great for breakfast tomorrow or a midnight snack!

Comments

damn you've got nice muffins!
I wish I had one to go with my first cup of coffee. They are indeed beautiful to behold.
♥Rosemary
Anonymous said…
My mouth is watering, literally.
The muffins look great and I know they are delicious.. if only we had a few.....

mil
kat said…
I believe we should be weaned very slowly from the holiday sweets.
Maria said…
Those are some big muffins! I will take one for breakfast and a snack:)
LaDue & Crew said…
Looks perfect! I like the raisins and the applesauce too, mmmm.
Bob said…
Well, I don't know about you but I'm still in the mood for sweets. :) Those look great, spice cakes/muffins/etc are some of my favorite stuff.
Karen said…
I didn't get to make my Guiness gingerbread this holiday season... maybe for Valentine's Day :) Love your little tartlette pans - just the right size to go with a cup of coffee!
Patsyk said…
Those muffins look beautiful! I love that you used the pretty tart pans for some of them.
Anonymous said…
I'm still in the mood for sweets. These are adorable and I love gingerbread so yahoo!
Connie said…
I made this recipe tonight. I also have been missing Gingerbread Men!
I have a recipe for them that I have been meaning to make every day for a week or two...but, you supplied the perfect solution...no chilling of dough for 2 hours, rolling, cutting, etc...in fact, I baked the muffin batter in a 9 X 9 inch baking pan!

I frosted it with Lemon Frosting:

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons soft butter
2 oz. cream cheese
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Peter M said…
OK, perhaps no muffins this week but next week's fair game to cheat!
I love spicy gingerbread. One little muffin wouldn't be bad, right??? I just recently bought some candied ginger,it's so good! Maybe we should try making some like the orange peel's! lol
Anonymous said…
Yummmy. I'll eat these any time of year-- love gingerbread! Especially hot out of the oven.