Gingerbread | A History and Recipe

Hello Friends!

Run, run, run, as fast as you can, you can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man! - Nursery rhyme

As I was researching different spices to put in my gingerbread cupcake recipe, I stumbled upon some really cool facts about gingerbread! Ginger root was first used in China, from there it spread and was used medicinally to help prevent the plague in the Black Death. It can still be used medicinally today for nausea and stomach aches. Gingerbread is also a good preservative for other foods such as meats. Gingerbread was said to be first baked in the 11th century in England. However, in the 1600s Nuremberg, Germany was named the Gingerbread Capital of the World. Bakers have been recorded baking gingerbread as early as 1296 in Germany. In fact, only master bakers and skilled workers were allowed to create their versions of gingerbread in the 17th century there.

Elizabeth I of England is credited with the idea of gingerbread men. She asked for the gingerbread to be shaped in likeness of some of her important visitors. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the world’s largest gingerbread man was created in Oslo, Norway, on November 9, 2009. The gingerbread man weighed a little over 1,435 pounds.

The history of gingerbread houses are a little more sketchy. The Brothers Grimm are thought to be the originator of the gingerbread house because of their story, Hansel and Gretel. However, others disagree, stating that the gingerbread house was the inspiration for their story. Both Hansel and Gretel and gingerbread houses became popular during the same time period, so it is hard to determine which came first. The Guinness World Record was broken for the largest gingerbread house in 2013, in Texas. The gingerbread house was a 2,520-square-foot edible-walled house and it was estimated to have over a 35.8 million calorie value. They needed 2,925 pounds of brown sugar, 1,800 pounds of butter, 7,200 eggs and 7,200 pounds of general purpose flour. Now that's a lot of ingredients!

 

Hope you enjoyed reading! And don't forget, next time you are feeling a little sick to your stomach, eat a gingerbread man! ;)

Recipe:

           Ingredients

          - 1 cup sugar

          - 4 eggs

          - 1 and 1/2 cup flour

          - 3/4 cup brown sugar

          - 3 cups of powdered sugar 

          - 1 package of cream cheese (room temperature)

          - 1 stick of butter (room temperature for icing)

          - 1 1/2 cups of butter (room temperature for cake)

          - 1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (cake)

          - 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (icing)

          - 1/4 teaspoon of ground clove

          - 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

          - 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon (cake)

          - 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon (icing)

          - 2 tablespoons of ground ginger

          - 1/4 cup of sour cream

          - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

          - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

          - 3 tablespoons molasses

          - gingerbread cookie mix with packaged icing and ingredients to make them

 

         Directions

          - Mix and roll out cookie dough. Cut out shapes and bake as directed on the package. When finished baking, trace icing around their edges and set aside.

          - While the cookies are baking, mix flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl. Set aside.

          - In another bowl, mix brown sugar, granulated sugar, and butter to a cream. Add in molasses and stir until it in blended into the mixture. Next mix in the eggs one at a time. Then add in the sour cream and vanilla extract until blended. Finally, take the flour-spice mixture and stir in a little at a time until everything is in one bowl.

          - Fill the cupcake tin a little under halfway full because the batter expands a lot! Bake the cupcakes at 350*F for 20-25 minutes.

         - While the cupcakes are baking, mix cream cheese, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla extract together to start the icing. Then add in the powdered sugar a little at a time.

        - To finish the cupcakes, place the cinnamon icing on top and plunge a cookie into the center.

 

          Additional Comments

          - Since they have cream cheese icing, they should be stored in a refrigerated area. This will allow the icing to become firm and cool.

          - If needed, place the cupcakes in the fridge to allow the icing to firm before placing the cookies on top.

 

I made a video tutorial with my brother on these cupcakes as well. Check it out:)

 

 

Happy Holidays,

Tilly