One of the questions that I am most frequently asked since being pregnant is whether or not I've had any strange cravings. Cravings? Please. This pregnancy has been chock full of only vegetables, fruits, and vitamins!
What? You don't believe me?
I wouldn't either.
The truth is, I've had plenty of cravings, some definitely healthier than others. If Hubby isn't present, I'm able to save a little face. I can avoid telling eager listeners about the 9 pm ventures to Taco Bell for second dinners, as well as the time I insisted that we drive through town until we found suitable donuts (it took three stops, if you were wondering). Also, people don't really need to know that I can go through an entire 5 lb. box of Cuties (better known as the most delicious little clementines available this time of year) in less than a week, do they?
However, amusing as these stories may be to hear, I still haven't told you Kent's favorite craving story. There was one lovely week in the middle of my second trimester that I had major carb cravings. Not just any carbs though, breakfast carbs. Pancakes, biscuits and gravy, French toast, and hash browns were all on the list. So where did we go? Cracker Barrel. Not once, not twice, but three times. In one week.
On one of these trips, we had a particularly long wait to be seated. I was perusing the candy and food items for sale, when I came across something that my little pregnant belly couldn't resist. Apple butter. I waited until after dinner to make the purchase in case the desire for the yummy spread passed. It didn't. Luckily for the little one in my belly, I resisted the urge to eat the entire jar on my own when I came across this lovely recipe for apple butter cake.
Here's what you need for the cupcakes:
(Recipe as found in United Cakes of America by Warren Brown. I slightly adapted the recipe for my purposes)
1 stick + 2 Tbs butter
2 cups (less 2 Tbs) superfine granulated sugar
3 eggs
2.5 cups all-purpose flour
1.5 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
1 cup apple butter
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
To make Cinnamon Buttercream:
1 cup milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 sticks unsalted butter
3/4 cup + 2 Tbs. superfine granulated sugar
2.5 Tbs. light muscovado sugar
Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer. Beat until well creamed.
While the butter and sugar are mixing, measure the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon) in a bowl and whisk to combine. Use a separate bowl to combine the wet ingredients (milk, apple butter, and vanilla extract) and whisk to combine.
When the butter and sugar are light and fluffy, add the eggs to the mixture one at a time.
Once the eggs have been added, alternately add the dry and wet mixtures. I added approximately 1/3 of each mix at a time. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure all of the ingredients are being combined. Once together, the mixture slightly resembled creamy peanut butter.
Pour the batter into your prepared cupcake pans. I coated my pans with a non-stick spray as well as using paper liners. Bake the cupcakes at 335 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.
I was so impressed with how evenly this dough baked that I took a picture to show it off!
While your cupcakes are baking, you can start making the cinnamon buttercream.
Start by quickly whisking together 4 Tbs. of the milk with the flour and cinnamon until you have created a smooth paste.
Add the rest of the milk to the mixture and put it in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring the ingredients to a simmer over medium heat for about 30 seconds. Make sure you whisk constantly!
Remove the pan from the heat and cover it with a lid. Allow it to cool for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the butter and both sugars in the bowl of your stand mixer and beat on high. Once it has cooled for 15 minutes, add the cinnamon milk to the mixer and continue to beat on high speed.
At this point in the recipe, I became a little skeptical. My buttercream mixture did not appear to be becoming "smooth and spreadable". However, KEEP MIXING! The buttercream does eventually form a lovely texture that is both creamy and usable, though it took mine between 10-15 minutes on high speed. Those of you without a stand mixer may use this time to contemplate purchasing one.
Mmm, see? A lovely cinnamon buttercream consistency. Once your cupcakes are baked and cooled, frost them with your buttercream.
I added a little sprinkle-covered apple to mine as well as a light dusting of cinnamon.
These would be a delicious addition to your morning coffee! I also think the cake would bake wonderfully in a bread pan to be sliced. Perhaps I'll try that next time and let you know! Enjoy!
Lately I have had a lot of fun decorating sugar cookies. Unfortunately, it seems as though while I'm doing this, I enter a cookie-decorating fog and forget to take photos to blog! Luckily, this time I did remember to get a few progress photos while I decorated these Easter egg cookies for a certain college student in need of an Easter sugar fix.
