Happy Birthday Kami Cupcakes

My Dear friend Kami turned 22 this weekend.  We celebrated her birthday New York Style to the max even with a skyline and a ball drop surprise.  Since I am too cheap to make cheesecake ( I am saving it for thanksgiving) I make the next best New York treat... something with apples for The Big Apple! I think these are the most moist cupcakes I have ever made. Give them a try and let me know what you think!

Applesauce Spice Cupcakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (I didn’t have any so I used allspice and tasted just as yummy!)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped (I didn’t put these in because my friend is allergic and I really wanted her to eat one)

Preheat the oven to 350. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and both sugars until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add applesauce and then flour mixture, beating until just combined after each. Stir in pecans by hand.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to two months, in airtight containers.

To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Frosted cupcakes can be refrigerated up to three days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before serving.

Brown-Sugar Cream-Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• dash of cinnamon

With an elecrtic mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth. Use immediately, or refrigerate up to three days in an airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth.