Apple Spice Autumn Cupcakes

Here's a wonderful way to eat our CSA apples!

Apple Spice Autumn Cupcakes

(recipe courtesy of Cupcake fun)

Ingredients: makes18-24 standard cupcakes

For cupcakes:

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup butter melted

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 cups apples peeled and chopped

For Icing:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

8 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (about 2 lbs.)

2 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon apple cider

1 teaspoon orange zest

For decorating:

Large Red Spice Drops

Large Green Spice Drops

granulated sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat eggs with milk, butter and vanilla. In separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. Add to egg mixture; stir just until moistened, do not over mix. Stir in apples. Pour into prepared pan 1/2 - 2/3 full. Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on cooling grid 5 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely.

Prepare icing by creaming butter and cream cheese together in a medium mixer bowl until smooth. Add sugar one cup at a time, cider, zest and milk. Mix well. Beat on high until smooth (only 30 seconds to 1 minute).

Ice cooled cupcakes with smooth frosting by using a spatula.

Make decorative apples with the gumdrops by pressing down in the center of the red spice drops on a surface sprinkled with granulated sugar. To make leaf, use a rolling pin to roll green spice drop flat on a surface sprinkled with granulated sugar. Cut leaf shape out with a knife and insert on top of apple.

Place one gumdrop apple in the the top center of each cupcake. Serve and enjoy.

Bion Appetito!