Mrs. Kostyra’s Spice Cupcakes

Name: Mrs. Kostyra’s Spice Cupcakes
Yield: makes 24
Ingredients: 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for tins; 4 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted, plus more for tins; 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon ground allspice; 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon ground mace; Pinch of ground cloves; 1 1/2 cups packed dark-brown sugar; 4 large eggs, room temperature; 1 1/2 cups milk, room temperature; Citrus Glaze (made with orange juice and zest; page 315)

January 24, 2012

These glazed cupcakes are adapted from a recipe by Martha’s late mother, Martha Kostyra, who was an avid baker. She especially enjoyed making spice cakes. The orange glaze is also hers, but the cupcakes would be equally delicious topped with cream-cheese frosting (page 303) or brown-butter icing (page 314). Don’t skip the crucial step of sifting the dry ingredients three times, as it helps to fully distribute the spices for the best flavor.

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