Chronicles of Baking: Apple Cider Goodness

Since it's cooled off a little in SoCal, my taste tester aka the Hubs decided it was time to have a fall-y cupcake. I didn't research before going to the grocery store so while we were in the car on the way to the grocery store, I broke out the handy dandy iPhone and found a recipe. Apples seem like a quintessential fall item so I opted for apple cider cupcakes. You can find the recipe here: http://www.sweettoothsweetlife.com/2011/09/29/apple-cider-cupcakes-with-apple-cider-cream-cheese-frosting/

As mentioned last time we recently went to Yucaipa. On the drive up we saw a sign that said "As Seen On TV" The Best Apple Cider Donuts. Well if that wouldn't make you stop your car right there what would. I don't know what the fascination is with "As Seen On TV" but I fall victim to it's ploy like every other American. I think our mentality is that if it was good enough to be on TV it must be amazing! Some times this is true, some times it is not.

In the case of the Best Apple Cider Donuts...it was TRUE!!!

Hot Mini Apple Cider Donuts

Spicy Cinnamon Sugar Topping :)

I also found this Christmas Tree...I wish ours could look like this, full of cupcake/sweet oriented ornaments

On to the cupcakes of the week.

I followed the above recipe for the cake portion which was super easy. I'm thinking that these cakes may qualify as being "low fat" considering they do not contain oil or butter and only two whole eggs. Let's just discount the globs of cream cheese frosting and go out on a limb and call them "healthy". haha

They smelled amazing while baking. If there were such a thing as "smell-o-internet" I would have posted the scent here.

Instead of making the apple cider cream cheese recipe in the link, I made my own frosting. I used 1.5 sticks of butter and 1.5 blocks of cream cheese. Blend the two together, add in the powdered sugar to desired consistency and then added two tablespoons of apple cider and 1/2 T. of vanilla. I also added brown sugar and cinnamon to the frosting because, well because why not?. I also added candy corn pumpkins and regular candy corn for decorations. I think they turned out pretty good.