Gingerbread Mini-Cakes with Chocolate Glaze

It is no secret that I am addicted to all things gingerbread.  I found this recipe in my “to make” stash of gingerbread recipes, which I am constantly adding to, and decided that today was the day for a little gingery-goodness.  First of all, this cake is fairly spicy with both fresh ginger root and ginger powder.  If you want to decrease the spice a bit use less of the fresh stuff and you’ll be good to go.  This recipe makes 12 mini-cakes (baked in a cupcake tin) and is perfect for a dinner party, or, ya know, if you want to eat one or twelve all by yourself.  Whatever.

Gingerbread Mini-Cakes with Chocolate Glaze
Preheat oven to 350′
Butter and flour a 12-cake cupcake tin, set aside.

1 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup boiling water
Dissolve soda in water and set aside.

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg, room temperature
2/3 cup molasses
1 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ginger powder
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

Beat butter and sugar until super fluffy (2-3 minutes, do not be stingy with this part).  Add egg, beat, add molasses, fresh ginger and soda water, beat to combine.  Sift together flour, baking powder, ginger powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt.  Add to mixture and beat to combine.

Fill buttered and floured muffin tin, each about halfway full and bake 20 minutes.  Let cool 15 minutes, remove cakes and cool completely on wire rack.

Chocolate Glaze
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

Over medium-high heat bring cream to full boil, stirring constantly to prevent burning.  Turn off heat, add chocolate and swirl pan to cover completely.  Let stand 5 miuntes, whisk until smooth.

When mini-cakes are cooled completely, shave off top muffin crown so cake sits flat on it’s top, spoon 1 tablespoon of glaze over each cake and serve with crystalized ginger or crystalized lemon (neither of which I had on-hand, bad chef).