These cupcakes are delicious with just the cream cheese frosting, but once you drizzle the reduced apple cider over the top, they transform into something out of this world!

 

FOR THE APPLE CIDER REDUCTION:

• 3 C. Louisburg Cider Mill Apple Cider reduced to 1/2 C. for cupcake batter

• 2 C. Louisburg Cider Mill Apple Cider reduced to 1/4 C. for drizzle

FOR THE CUPCAKES:

• 1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

• 1/4 tsp. Baking Soda

• 1/2 tsp. Salt

• 2 1/4 C. Flour

• 2 1/2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp. Ground Nutmeg

• 1 C. Buttermilk

• 10 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, softened

• 1 C. Granulated Sugar

• 1/2 C. Light Brown Sugar, packed

• 2 Eggs

• 1 tsp. Vanilla

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

• 1 1/2 C. Unsalted Butter, softened

• 12 oz. Cream Cheese, softened

• 4 1/2 C. Powdered Sugar

• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla

For the Apple Cider Reduction:

Add 3 cups of apple cider to a saucepan and 2 cups to another saucepan. Bring cider to a slow simmer over medium low heat. It takes a long time to reduce the cider to the right consistency, about 30 minutes or so.

For the Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350º. Start by creaming 10 Tbs. of softened, butter together with 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 cup of packed, light brown sugar. Then mix in 2 eggs and 1 tsp. vanilla. Next add 1 cup of buttermilk and the 1/2 cup portion of reduced apple cider and combine. In a separate bowl sift together 2 1/4 cups of flour, 1 1/2 tsp. of  baking powder, 1/4 tsp. of baking soda, 1/2 tsp of salt, 2 1/2 tsp. of ground cinnamon and 1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg in a medium sized bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine. Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners and fill each liner 3/4 of the way full. Bake the cupcakes for 19-21 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean from the centers. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting them.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

Add 12 oz. of softened cream cheese to a large mixing bowl and mix until smooth. Then add 1 1/2 cup of softened butter and mix until smooth. Add 4 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, a little at a time until it is all combined. Last, add in 1/2 tsp. of vanilla.

Assembling the Cupcakes:

When cupcakes are completely cooled, pipe a generous amount of cream cheese frosting onto each one. Lastly, take 1/4 cup portion of reduced apple cider and drizzle it over the tops of cupcakes. *Store leftover in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.