Spice Cupcakes With Cream-cheese Icing

Gossip often veils itself in acceptable conventions such as “Have you heard…” or “Did you know…?” or “They tell me…” or “Keep this to yourself, but…” or “I do not believe it is true, but I heard that…” or “I wouldn’t tell you, except that I know it will go no further.” Of course, the most infamous such rationalization in Christian circles is, “I am telling you this so you can pray.”

Kent Hughes

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Vegetables, Eggs, Dairy		February 19	1	Servings

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4	c	All-purpose flour
1	t	Baking soda
1	t	Cinnamon
1/2	t	Freshly grated nutmeg
1/4	t	Ground cloves
1/4	c	Vegetable shortening
1/4	c	Granulated sugar
1		Egg
1/2	c	Unsulfured molasses stirred
		together with
		1/2 cup boiling water
4	oz	Cream cheese, softened
2	T	Unsalted butter, softened
1/2	c	Confectioners' sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

In a bowl whisk together the flour, the baking soda, the spices, and a
pinch of salt. In another bowl with an electric mixer cream together
the shortening and the granulated sugar, beat in the egg, and beat in
the flour mixture alternately with the molasses mixture, beating well
after each addition. Divide the batter among 12 paper-lined 1/2-cup
muffin tins and bake the cupcakes in the middle of a preheated
350&#176:F. oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out
clean. Turn the cupcakes out onto a rack and let them cool completely.
In another bowl beat together the cream cheese, the butter, and the
confectioners' sugar until the icing is fluffy and spread the icing  on
the cupcakes.  Makes 12 cupcakes.  Gourmet February 1992  Converted by
MC_Buster.  Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

A Message from our Provider:

“Do you have PEACE in your life? Trust in God.”

Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients) ---------------------------------------------- Calories: 1900 Calories From Fat: 1065 Total Fat: 119.9g Cholesterol: 400.5mg Sodium: 1702.5mg Potassium: 421.5mg Carbohydrates: 177.2g Fiber: 6g Sugar: 54.5g Protein: 29.6g

All people freely and voluntarily and willingly reject the gospel because it is their heart’s desire to do so. A person’s freedom consists in the ability to act according to one’s desires and inclinations without being compelled to do otherwise by something or someone external to himself. So long as one’s choice is the voluntary fruit of one’s desire, the will is free. This is what I mean when I say, “Yes, all people are free moral agents.” On the other hand, to say that a person has free will is to say that he has equal ability or power to accept or reject the gospel. It is to say that he is as able to believe as to disbelieve, and that this ability springs from his own making and is native to him notwithstanding his fallen and sinful state. If this is what you mean when you ask me, “Is man free?” my answer, or rather, the answer of the Bible, is “No.” A man’s will is the extension and invariable expression of his nature. As he is, so he wills. A man is no more free to act or to will or to choose contrary to his nature than an apple tree is free to produce acorns.

Sam Storms