Hi!  I'm super busy filling baking orders this week, but as promised in the previous post, I have a cupcake for you!   It will help you forgive me for bringing up American Hoggers on a baking blog.  I'm certain of it.  I'm so sorry.  I shared too much.

Apple Spice Cupcakes....mmmm, yummy!



I love these little cupcakes, especially in the fall...when apples are super cheap and Honeycrisp apples are easy to find.  :)  They are bursting with apple and cinnamon flavor and topped with glorious cinnamon cream cheese frosting.  These babies are good, so good.  :)  Try them...and then please do forgive me for my American Hogger outburst.

Thanks for stopping by!


Apple Spice Cupcakes
Source:  lightly adapted from Taste of Home
Get the printable recipe here!

Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 medium apple, peeled and finely diced

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well.
Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with
applesauce. Fold in diced apple.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at
350° for 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the
center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a
wire rack. Frost cooled cupcakes. Yield: 1 dozen.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

This is my favorite starting point for cream cheese icing.  Honestly, I just add cream until the consistency is right.
1 8oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 tsp cinnamon
4-5 cups powdered sugar
2-3 Tbsp whipping cream

Blend the cream cheese and butter together, add in vanilla, salt and cinnamon and blend well.  Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time and mix well.  Add cream until the frosting reaches the desired consistency.  (This makes a lot of frosting, usually enough to top 2 dozen cupcakes.  You might consider making half or doubling the cupcake recipe.)