Yum Alert: Gingery-Bread Muffins

Gingery-bread Muffins

Recipe & Image via A Cozy Kitchen // adapted from Chow

For muffins:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup dark molasses
• 2 large eggs

For glaze:

• 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon whole milk

1. Heat oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in middle. Line a muffin tin with liners.
2. In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and ground allspice.
3. In a measuring cup, stir together buttermilk and vanilla until combined. Whisk to aerate and break up any lumps; set aside. In a separate medium bowl, stir together buttermilk and vanilla until combined.
4. In a another bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar until light in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in molasses until well combined and then add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until well incorporated.
5. (Don’t be alarmed if mixture looks separated and curdled.) Scrape bowl and add one third flour mixture, beating on low speed just until flour is incorporated. Add half buttermilk mixture and once batter is smooth add another third flour mixture. Add remaining buttermilk and mix until incorporated. Add remaining flour mixture, and beat until incorporated and smooth.
6. Scoop batter into prepared muffin tin about 3/4 of the way. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool muffins in tin for about 5 minutes before removing and transferring to a cooling rack.
7. While muffins are cooling, mix together powdered sugar with milk and stir until smooth. When muffins are completely cooled, pour icing on top of muffins and top with candied ginger. Serve right away. If you’re baking these things up and taking them somewhere, I’d recommend icing ‘em right before serving.

Yields about 12-15 muffins