This fun baked creation is comprised of mini cupcakes topped with a ginger-molasses frosting and decorated with assorted candy, gumdrops and royal icing.
ingredients
Ginger-Molasses Frosting
Gingerbread Man
directions
Special equipment: a large, flat serving platter; a large pastry bag fitted with a star tip, a small pastry bag fitted with a round tip
Beat the butter, molasses and chocolate-hazelnut spread with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa, ginger, vanilla and salt and beat on medium low, increasing the speed as the ingredients begin to incorporate. Beat on medium high for a few seconds until the frosting is completely smooth.
Arrange the cupcakes on the platter in a gingerbread man shape (use about 14 cupcakes to make the head, 14 to make the arms and chest and 20 to make the tummy, legs and feet).
Transfer the frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe swirls to generously cover each cupcake top (the frosting on each top should touch its neighbor). Then fill in any gaps with a squeeze of frosting. Decorate as desired with gumdrops and candies. Fill a small pastry bag fitted with a round tip with royal icing and use to decorate as desired.