Gingerbread Rum Mini Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream

There is really no rhyme or reason as to why I chose this recipe today.  I was feeling in the Christmas spirit, so the idea of gingerbread popped in my head.  I usually don't eat gingerbread, nor have I ever made gingerbread men, but it still very much reminds me of Christmas.  So as I was tossing the idea of gingerbread around in my head, I had the thought to combine it with rum.  Maybe its because as I was making dinner I saw the bottle of rum staring at me each time I opened my spice cabinet; since it only gets to come out of the depths of my cupboards for Banana Rum Fudge Cake.  Or maybe I thought this combination would work because they are both dark and spicy.  Either way, it worked out!  One thing you might notice about these cupcakes right away is that they don't have that signature gingerbread color.  The reason for this is simply because I didn't have molasses.  Instead of molasses I used brown sugar, which actually contains molasses.  Because of this difference, the flavor is subtler than the traditional gingerbread cookie, but delicious nonetheless!  

Gingerbread Rum Mini Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 T ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 T + 3/4 tsp brown sugar
3 tablespoons dark rum
4 large eggs, room temperature


Frosting:
1 cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon


1.  Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line mini muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2.  In large bowl whisk together flour, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg.  Set aside.
3.  In large bowl beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs one at a time followed by rum and vanilla extract.
4.  Add flour mixture on low speed just until combined.

5.  Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full.  Bake cupcakes for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
6.  Cool 2 minutes in pans, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

7.  To make frosting cream butter until light and fluffy.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.  Beat just until combined.
8.  Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.

Source:  Adapted from Sweet Girl Confections Gingerbread Cupcake recipe