Lemon Swirl Gingerbread Food

LEMON-FILLED GINGERBREAD MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses. In another bowl, whisk flour, ginger, baking soda, salt and allspice; add to creamed mixture alternately with water, beating after each addition just until combined. (Batter may appear curdled.), Fill paper-lined muffin cups one-fourth full. In a small bowl, beat filling ingredients until blended. Drop filling by rounded teaspoonfuls into center of each muffin; cover with remaining batter., Bake until a toothpick inserted in the muffin portion comes out clean, 14-18 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Serve warm.

OLD-FASHIONED GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 by 8-inch cake pan and line with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.
• Place the rum and raisins in a small pan, cover and heat until the rum boils. Turn off the heat and set aside. Place the butter and molasses in another small pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour the mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cool for 5 minutes, then mix in the sour cream and orange zest.
• Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together in a small bowl. Mix with your hands until combined. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture and mix only until smooth. Drain the raisins and add them and crystallized ginger to the mixture with a spatula. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.
• When the cake has cooled, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and orange juice and pour it onto the gingerbread, allowing it to drip down the sides. Allow the glaze to set. Cut the gingerbread into 9 squares.

LEMON SWIRL GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Beat cream cheese, sugar and egg with electric mixture until smooth.
• Fold in lemon curd.
• In a separate bowl, prepare gingerbread according to package directions.
• Grease an 8 inch square pan; add half of the gingerbread batter.
• Place spoonfuls of lemon mixture over the batter, then pour remaining gingerbread batter over lemon mixture.
• Swirl a knife through the batter to marble, bringing some lemon mixture to the top of the batter.
• Bake for 35 minutes or until cakes tests as done.
• Cool on a wire rack.
• Sift powdered sugar over cake before serving.