Day 110 – Apple Cider Cupcakes

It is time to get the warm winter drinks flowing, right?  I mean, Starbucks has their winter cups out and ready.  And, I’m pretty sure that’s the official sign for winter beverages.  These Apple Cider Cupcakes with Apple Butter Filling and Caramel Frosting (recipe below from Lehigh Valley Live) should fit in perfectly!!  I hope they keep you warm.  Along with today’s book: Starring Fred Astaire by Stanley Green.  And today’s Musical Monday video!

Now, on to the warm-me-up cupcakes!

    

The cupcakes are dense and moist, but not wet or chewy.  They taste a little like a snickerdoodle, which I wasn’t expecting but I’m really enjoying!

    

Apple butter, is, well, apple butter.

The frosting is smooth, but was only pipeable after about 45 minutes in the fridge. Before that it would have slid right off the cupcake. So, my advice is to make the frosting first, then the cupcakes, to save a little time.  It tastes like a cream cheese frosting with a kick. The brown sugar caramel adds just a hint of that dark flavor. It’s really yummy!

    

Something gets lost when it all gets put together. I LOVE the individual parts, so I think it has something to do with the spices in the apple butter counter-acting the spices in the case and the richness of the frosting. It’s still quite good, don’t get me wrong. I just wanted it to carry through a little more.

Scoring Sheet:

• Cupcake Taste: 4

• Frosting Taste: 4

• Overall Taste: 3.5

• Appearance: 3.5
• Ease of Making: 4
• TOTAL: 19

RECIPE

Apple Cider Cupcakes with Apple Butter Filling and Caramel Frosting (recipe from Lehigh Valley Live)

2 eggs, room temperature
1 2/3 cup flour
1 cup apple cider
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
apple butter

Frosting:
1/4 cup light brown sugar
10 tablespoon butter, divided
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

For directions visit Lehigh Valley Live.

*Tomorrow: Sweet Zucchini Cupcakes*