Ginger Muffins

Spring in Ontario has been overtaken by Winter, which is a good excuse to turn on the oven to heat the place up and produce some home baked goodness. I was in the mood for something different today, so I made up a batch of ginger muffins. The delicious aroma of these miniature ginger cakes baking still lingers in my kitchen. These nicely spiced muffins contain very little sugar, and make for a satisfying morning or afternoon snack, or a fulfilling addition to lunch.

Ginger Muffins

1/4 cup of butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup of sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup of molasses
1/4 cup of hot water

1 3/4 cups of unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ginger
1/4 teaspoon of cloves

1/4 cup of hot water

Grease 12 muffin cups with butter or oil. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the butter, sugar, egg, molasses and first amount of hot water in a large mixing bowl. Beat well.

Add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves to the bowl. Stir to combine.

Gradually stir the second amount of hot water into the batter. Fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.