Here are my favorite recipes to make Valentine gingerbread cookies and cupcakes. I use a traditional buttercream frosting and sometimes substitute the vanilla with coconut, almond or lemon flavoring. 

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Gingerbread Valentine Cookies
Ingredients

• 1cup packed brown sugar

• 3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

• 1/2 cup molasses

• 1egg

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 2 teaspoons ground ginger

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions

• In large bowl, beat brown sugar, butter, molasses and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, salt and cloves. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface; gather into a ball and press into a flat disk. Wrap with plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, or lightly grease the pan. On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with floured heart-shaped cookie cutters. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Re-roll dough and cut additional cookies.

• Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched in center. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

     (Adapted from a Betty Crocker gingerbread cookie recipe)

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Basic White Cake

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups plus 2 Tablespoons  all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¾ cup sour cream

• ¾ cup milk

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar

• 5 large egg whites

• 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract (can substitute almond or coconut extracts)

 

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line muffin pans with paper or silicone muffin cups.

• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine sour cream and milk. Set aside.

• In a standing mixer or using a handheld mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy ( 3-4 minutes). Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl using a rubber spatula, as needed. Add egg whites and vanilla extract (or almond/coconut extracts) and beat until combined.

• On low speed, add half of the flour mixture and beat until combined. Add milk mixture and beat until combined. Add the other half of the flour mixture and beat just until combined. Do not over mix – the less you mix, the lighter the cake will be.

• Pour/spoon the batter into the muffin pans to about 3/4 full. Bake for 18- 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.

• Allow cupcakes to cool for 15 minutes, then gently remove from pan and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.

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Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

​Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)

• 4 – 5 cups confectioners’ sugar

• 1/4 cup heavy cream, half-and-half, or whole milk (room temperature)

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (or substitute almond, coconut or lemon extract)

• salt (optional, to taste)

 

Instructions

• With a handheld or stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. 

• Add 4 and 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, the heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 2 full minutes. Taste. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. I always add 1/8 teaspoon.

• Adjust consistency by adding up to 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin or more heavy cream if frosting is too thick (1 Tablespoon at a time)

• NOTE: Use immediately or cover tightly and store for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. After freezing, thaw in the refrigerator then beat the frosting on medium speed for a few seconds so it’s creamy again. After thawing or refrigerating, beating in a splash of heavy cream or milk will help thin the frosting out again, if needed.

• (Adapted from Two Sisters)

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