Mini Gingerbread Cupcakes with Rum-Raisin Frosting

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line 24 mini muffin cups with cupcake liners.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ginger. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together the butter and brown sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs and then the molasses until well combined. Immediately stir in the boiling water. On low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until smooth.

4. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full. Bake in the center of the oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean and dry, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan(s) on a wire rack.

5. While the cupcakes are baking and cooling, prepare the frosting. In a small bowl, mix together the raisins and rum and let stand for 15 minutes. Strain, reserving liquid.

6. In a food processor, combine the cream cheese and butter and process until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar and pulse until a smooth, spreadable frosting forms. Transfer to a bowl. Stir the raisin liquid into the frosting until evenly combined.

7. When the cupcakes are cool, tip them out of the pan(s) and frost them with the frosting. Top with raisins.

Excerpted from Very Merry Cookie Party: How to Plan and Host a Christmas Cookie Exchange by Barbara Grunes & Virginia Van Vynct. Excerpted by permission of Chronicle Books