Chocolate Spice Cupcakes

The weather here in Portland has been absolutely glorious this week.  I know other parts of the country are still in the thick of it, winter-wise, but it sure feels like spring around here.  The crocus are up, I've got a few tulips and daffodils blooming, and my favorite flowering plum tree is now covered in delicate pink blossoms.  With the blue skies and balmy temperatures, you'd think I'd be itching to bake something light and springy, right?  Carrot cake, maybe, or Hummingbird cake?  Wrong.  Despite the spring-like conditions, it IS still February, folks, and today it was all about deep, dark chocolate and warm, wintry spices.  Allow me to introduce you to my new friends, the Chocolate Spice Cupcakes.

These aren't just any Chocolate Spice Cupcakes, though.  They're Chocolate Spice *Birthday* Cupcakes.  Besides being an unseasonably beautiful day, today was also my dad's birthday.  Remember what I said about my hang-up regarding birthday cake?  These cakes were for him.  We didn't have much of a party, just a nice dinner at Mom and Dad's house, but cake IS a requirement for a proper birthday celebration.  Choosing which cake to make was tricky, though.  What kind of cupcake is worthy of a 72 year old grandpa?  I tried to pick something that wasn't too silly or foofy.  Is there such thing as a manly cupcake?  It's debatable, but these cakes come pretty darn close.  

What you're looking at here are dark, moist chocolate cakes full of cinnamon, ginger, and molasses.  If  Devil's Food and Gingerbread had a love child, this is what it would look like.  The unholy union is definitely chocolate, but it's infused with spices and a strong dose of molasses which sort of deepens the other flavors. The end result is elegant and homey at once; a perfect blend of both sides of the family tree.

These are definitely a cupcake that's worthy of a pretty little plate, silverware, and a cup of coffee.  Or you could be like my kids and put them on paper plates before shoving them into your mouth with both hands.  

Never mind.  Don't be like them.

I was very happy with these except for one MAJOR thing.  The instructions say to butter each of the cupcake tins and then dust them with cocoa to keep the cakes from sticking.  To this I say, "whatEVAH".  My cupcakes stuck like crazy, even though I was careful to prepare the pans properly.  Mia, my 9 year old, happily stood next to me and gobbled up all the chunks of cake that stayed in the tins after I finished digging them out, but it wasn't really an ideal situation.  If I make these again, I'll just use paper liners and peel them off before I glaze the cakes, and I recommend that you do the same.  

Unless you're into deformed cake, and in that case, go ahead and do it the hard way.  Weirdo.

Chocolate Spice Cupcakes

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350º

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp ground ginger

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

In a heat-proof bowl, stir together:

1 tsp baking soda

2/3 cup boiling water

In an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream until pale and fluffy:

5 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar

Beat in:

1 egg, at room temperature

Add, and beat until combined:

2/3 cup unsulfured molasses

baking soda mixture

Reduce speed to low and add:

flour mixture

Beat until well combined (batter will look lumpy).  Divide batter among 12 paper-lined tins and bake 20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean.  Transfer pan to wire rack to cool for 15 minutes, then turn cupcakes out and let cool completely.

To finish, peel papers off cupcakes and invert on wire rack set over a baking sheet or some paper towels.  Spoon chocolate glaze over tops and let it run down the sides.  Top with chopped candied ginger.

Chocolate Ganache Glaze

makes about 1 1/4 cups

Place in a medium heat-proof bowl:

6 oz good quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

In a small saucepan, bring just to a simmer:

2/3 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp light corn syrup

Pour cream mixture over chocolate.  Let stand, without stirring, until chocolate begins to melt.  

Using a spatula, gently stir chocolate and cream together until smooth and shiny.  If any chocolate solids remain, strain chocolate through a mesh sieve and discard the pieces.