A Spiked Eggnog is a Happy Eggnog...

That being said, a spiked eggnog cupcake is a happy cupcake! I am not a fan of eggnog but Laura is. I feel like she's deprived every holiday season because I turn my nose up at it. So I decided to bake eggnog cupcakes. Wow! These are delicious. The cupcake recipe makes 12. The frosting is probably enough for a little over 2 dozen cupcakes. I froze the leftover frosting to use on a future batch of cupcakes.

 Eggnog Cupcakes with Bourbon Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

Cupcakes:

1/4 cup bourbon

1 cup eggnog

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup sugar

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.  In a small bowl, mix together the bourbon, eggnog, vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract.  In a large bowl, mix together the nutmeg, sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined.  Divide evenly between prepared muffin cups.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed.  Cool in the pan 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Frosting:

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon butter

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons bourbon

1 1/2 packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 cups confectioner's sugar

To make the bourbon caramel, heat brown sugar, cream, butter, and salt over medium high heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved.  Continue cooking for another minute. Pour in bourbon and stir to combine. Take off heat and let cool.

Beat cream cheese and butter until soft with an electric mixer.  Add the confectioner's sugar and beat to combine.  Add the bourbon caramel and beat to combine.

Frost the cupcakes and dust with nutmeg, if desired.

 

Pumpkin and More Pumpkin...

I baked these muffins last weekend for coffee hour at church. They were pretty good but I'd make a couple small changes next time. The one I ate stuck to the liner more than I'd like. Now, that could mean I need to add a little more oil or it could be the unbleached liners. Also, I'd like a little more pumpkin pie taste so next time I'll try more cinnamon and nutmeg. Here's the recipe, unaltered. Please excuse the blurry picture. I dropped my camera in the sand while camping so I had to take this with my cell phone.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins

Cream Cheese Filling:

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Muffins:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line standard muffin pan with paper liners.

To make cream cheese filling, beat cream cheese, sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.

To make muffins, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, pumpkin, milk, brown sugar, and oil until combined. Stir in the flour mixture, until just moistened and mixed. Divide batter between 12 muffin cups.

Please 1 teaspoon of cream cheese filling in each muffin cup and press lightly into the center of the batter.

Bake about 25 minutes until golden. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 12 muffins.