BLACKBERRY GINGERBREAD MUFFINS by NancyC, adapted from Victoria Magazine
Makes 26 muffins (or 24 muffins and 1 mini loaf)

3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1 cup unsulphured molasses
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups fresh blackberries

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line muffin pans with 24 paper liners; set aside. Grease and flour a mini-loaf pan; set aside.

In a medium bowl, blend together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice.

In a large bowl, cream softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add molasses, eggs (one at a time), and buttermilk and mix until everything is combined well.

Add the flour mixture all at once to the butter/molasses mixture and stir until just combined. Gently fold in the berries and mix to distribute evenly in batter.

Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full, and put the rest of the batter in your mini-loaf pan. Bake muffins at 350˚F for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; your mini-loaf will need to bake about 5 to 10 minutes longer. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove and cool completely on wire rack. After muffins have cooled, drizzle with Creamy Glaze.

CREAMY GLAZE and BLACKBERRY GARNISH
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons Half & Half (light cream)
26 blackberries for garnish

In a small bowl, blend powdered sugar and Half & Half until smooth and creamy. Drizzle over cooled muffins and top each muffin with a blackberry in the center.

Recipe from NancyC | nancy-c.com