Lola's Gingerbread Latte Cupcake Recipe

Another recipe from one of my new Christmas books today.

Making Cupcakes With Lola is a brilliant cupcake book, probably the best I have seen in a long time. 

Yes you will find all the normal cupcake recipes such as Chocolate, Vanilla, Lemon and Red Velvet but these recipes are where they belong, in the 'Always Favourites' section at the back and the rest of the book is dedicated to more inspirational recipes. 

 I can't wait to try the Caramel Biscotti Cupcakes, Pecan Pie Cupcakes and the Marmalade Mallow Cupcakes.

First up though Gingerbread Latte Cupcakes...

These delicious cupcakes are really really so good, the cake is incredibly moist and flavourful and although the frosting was just a little too sweet for my taste,  these little beauties were very nearly perfect.

  I so often find with new cupcake books the recipes are all the same, pretty bland, too dry and really just nothing special but after these gorgeous Gingerbread Latte Cupcakes I have really high hopes for all Lola's recipes.

The flavour combinations used in the book are fantastic and I already have few ideas for new cupcake recipes I want to create.

Gingerbread Latte Cupcakes

Recipe adapted from - Making Cupcakes with Lola

Makes 12

I actually ended up with 14 generous cupcakes so be careful not to overfill the cupcake cases.

  I am adding Lola's US conversions too, although some seem a little off in places, for example 1 stick of butter is 113g not 135g as the cupcake recipe states, you will also notice the buttercream recipe says to use 120g grams or 1 stick of butter! 

 As I was using grams anyway I added 135g and 120g of butter respectively and all was fine.

For the Cupcakes:

120g / 1/2 cup golden syrup or light corn syrup

120g / 1/2 cup black treacle/dark molasses

200ml/ 3/4 cup double/heavy cream

250g/ 2 cups plain/all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp ground espresso

2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

135g / 1 stick butter, cubed and soft

125g 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 medium eggs

For the Coffee Cinnamon Buttercream:

120g/ 1 stick butter, cubed and soft

1 tsp vanilla extract

500g/ 3 2/3 cups icing sugar

3 tbsp milk

2 tsp ground espresso

and 1 tsp ground cinnamon mixed with

1/2 tsp hot water.

Gingerbread Men Sprinkles - to decorate

Muffin pan lined with 12 large cupcake cases (muffin sized).

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, ground espresso, ginger, allspice, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl.

Put the golden syrup or corn syrup , treacle/molasses and cream in a saucepan and heat gently until just melted and well mixed.  Do not allow to boil.

Put the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until pale and fluffy.  Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. 

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the syrup mixture to the egg mixture in thirds, alternating with the flour mixture.

Divide the mixture between the prepared muffin cases.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until well risen and a cake tester inserted into the centre comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool in the tray for a minute or two until removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

To Make the Buttercream:

While the cupcakes are cooling down, make the coffee cinnamon buttercream.

Put the butter in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until very soft, smooth and lighter in colour.  Stir in the vanilla.

Sift half of the icing sugar into the bowl, beating until fully incorporated.

Add the second half of the sugar and beat on a low speed.  gradually add the milk, beating continuously.  Once combined turn the speed up to high and beat for a further 3 minutes.

Add the espresso-cinnamon paste and beat to combine.

Once the cupcakes are completely cool, spread, spoon or pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes and top with gingerbread men sprinkles.

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Lola's Gingerbread Latte Cupcake Recipe