• Preheat oven to 350F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.
• In a large bowl use a hand mixer on medium speed to cream together the butter and brown sugar until it is light and fluffy.
• Add in one egg, 1/2 cup room temperature milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 cup molasses and beat on medium speed until well combined.
• In a medium bowl mix together 1 1/2 cups pastry flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg and 1/4 tsp ground cloves.
• Slowly pour flour mixture into the molasses mixture and continue to beat with a hand mixer on medium speed just until combined well.
• Use an ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of one of the cupcakes comes out clean. Then remove from the oven and let the cupcakes cool completely.
• Prepare vanilla bean frosting.

Vanilla Bean Frosting

• In a large bowl add 1 1/2 cups of softened unsalted butter and beat with a hand mixer on medium-high until the butter is light and fluffy and nearly white in colour. About 5 minutes.
• Add in 4 tbsp of heavy cream and 2 tsp of vanilla bean paste. Continue to beat on medium while slowly adding in the 4 1/2 cups of icing sugar. Continue to beat until the frosting looks light and fluffy scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. About 5-6 minutes
• Frost completely cooled cupcakes and decorate with a small gingerbread man, sprinkles or decorative sugar.