Celebrate the Feast of Mary Magdalene with Spice Cupcakes

The Church will celebrate the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene on July 22nd. Mary Magdalene, known as the “Apostle to the Apostles,” holds a special place in Christian history. Her humble faith and love for Jesus have made her an enduring symbol of devotion. All four Gospels mention her, and she plays a significant role in Jesus’ ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection. On her feast day, we remember her profound role as the first witness to the resurrection. We also acknowledge her crucial part in spreading the Good News of the Risen Christ.

The Church has always revered Mary Magdalene as one of the faithful women present at the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Consequently, Christian art has depicted and commemorated these women since the 3rd century.

The Eastern Church refers to them as “The Myrrh-Bearers” because they carried myrrh to anoint Jesus’ body on the morning of the resurrection. Their celebration occurs on the third Sunday of Pascha (Easter), known as the “Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women.” Hymns and readings focus on their encounters with the risen Christ and their role in spreading the Good News of the resurrection. Icons of the myrrh-bearing women at the empty tomb are prominently displayed in Eastern churches.

In keeping with Mary’s act of anointing Jesus’ body with spices, create something spiced, such as Spice Cupcakes.

Spice Cupcakes

Cupcakes 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup light brown sugar, packed

½ cup sour cream

2 large eggs – room temp

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting ½ cup unsalted butter, room temp

8 oz cream cheese, room temp

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

4 cups confectioner’s sugar

1-2 tablespoons of milk, as needed

Dust with cinnamon

Cupcakes To begin, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners. In a bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice. Once sifted, proceed to beat the softened butter and sugars in a large bowl until creamy.

Next, beat in the eggs and vanilla until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Following this, add half of the dry mixture and incorporate it into the batter along with the sour cream. Then, mix the remaining dry mixture until just combined, being careful not to over-mix.

Place the batter into the preheated oven and bake for 23-25 minutes. To check if they are done, use a toothpick to test the center of the cupcakes. The toothpick should come out dry. Afterward, let the cupcakes cool on a wire rack until they are completely cooled before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting For the Cream Cheese Frosting, begin by beating the room-temperature butter until creamy, then add the cream cheese and beat until well combined and smooth. Mix in the vanilla and salt. Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is smooth. If necessary, you can thin the frosting by adding one to two tablespoons of milk.

Recipe from www.mamaneedscake.com

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