Guinness-Gingerbread Cupcakes

Name: Guinness-Gingerbread Cupcakes
Yield: makes 12 cupcakes
Ingredients: 1/2 cup (125 ml) stout beer, such as Guinness; 1/2 cup (125 ml) mild-flavored molasses; 1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable oil; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 3/4 cup (170 g) packed light brown sugar; 1 1/3 cups (185 g) all-purpose flour; 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder; 2 teaspoons ground ginger; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 1/2 cup (50 g) finely minced Candied Ginger (page 252); 4 tablespoons (2 ounces/60 g) salted or unsalted butter, at room temperature; 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar, sifted; 2 1/2 tablespoons (40 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice, or more to taste; 1 tablespoon whole milk; Strips of Soft-Candied Citrus Peel (page 253) or Candied Ginger (page 252), for garnish

December 9, 2011

I made a fool of myself when I met Claudia Fleming, who was for many years a noted pastry chef in New York City. But I couldn’t help myself—I flipped out whenever I tasted her desserts. Her multiflavored combinations managed to perfectly balance familiar, everyday ingredients with sophisticated presentations. Every time I ran into her, I’d gush about how wonderful her desserts were as I watched her slowly backing away from this clearly unbalanced fan. I was always intrigued by her combination of gingerbread with rich, malty stout and was inspired to create a cupcake using the same blend of flavors. I add a bright-tasting lime frosting which complements the spicy cake. If you make these, you’re likely to have a few deranged fans, too. Consider yourself warned.

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