Gingerbread Cupcakes with Spiced-Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

I know Christmas is over, but the tastes of the season continue!  These cupcakes are a family favorite.  The recipe is adapted from a recipe I found in a Betty Crocker cookbook.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter, soft

1/2 cup molasses

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3 tsp ground ginger

1+ tsp cinnamon

1 tsp allspice

3/4 cup water

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Beat sugar, butter, molasses, and eggs.  In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients.  Add the dry mixture to the butter/sugar mixture alternately with the 3/4 cup water.  Spoon into 18 muffin cups.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Frosting (the best part)

8-pig cream cheese, soft

1/4 cup butter

1+ tsp vanilla

1 tsp ground cinnamon

the zest of 2+ oranges

1 lb powdered sugar

milk to obtain consistency

Beat the frosting ingredients adding milk until you get a nice fluffy frosting.  Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and top with additional orange zest.