Well, well, well. I’ve been MIA, huh? No recipes in a while. I’m sorry about that… I’ve been insanely, INSANELY busy. My days are filled with the usual seasonal activities and some other miscellaneous things (heh, I’m a blonde now) and on top of all that I went to the Condé Nast building with Jay’s sister Jen on Friday to the Teen Vogue offices (where among other things, we got to see the accessories closet and met that lovely girl in that video I linked to, Blake… and I saw André Leon Talley in the Condé Nast cafeteria wearing a bejeweled skullcap emblazoned with ‘OBAMA’ and an American flag in rhinestones- a-mah-zing) but… I’m here to make amends. I recieved a lil package from Lyns over at Sweet Cuppin’ Cakes Bakery & Supplies with some gorgeous Christmas cupcake liners and some blue candy-chocolatey covered sunflower seeds and I’m saving the seeds for Christmas, but I used some liners for these. I couldn’t help it!

Before I get to the recipe, here’s a few pictures of the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center, just because its beautiful and many of you may have never seen it. These were taken last Christmas, this year I’ve only just seen it during the day so far. Click on each to view the full size picture.

And has anyone noticed its snowing on my blog?

Okay now lets get down to the baking. I stumbled across this recipe from Annie’s Eats on Cupcakes Take the Cake and knew I’d have to make it this holiday season. My mother loves eggnog, I don’t, and my dad will eat just about any kind of cupcake there is… but it is the season for giving after all so despite me not liking the ‘nog I made these. Besides, they’re fun to make and cupcakes never go to waste around here so why not.

In case you live in a cave, eggnog is:

Eggnog, also egg nog, is a sweetened dairy-based beverage made with milk, cream, sugar, beaten eggs (which gives it a frothy texture) and flavoured with ground cinnamon and nutmeg; alcoholic versions also exist with the addition of various liquors, such as brandy, rum, whiskey and sake.

So I put on some Christmas tunes and made me some cuppin’ cakes!

EGGNOG CUPCAKES

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

• ¼ cup dark rum or bourbon
• 1 cup low-fat eggnog
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt

For the frosting:

• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 3 tbsp. lowfat eggnog
• 1 tbsp. rum
• generous pinch of nutmeg
• 2 (or more) cups confectioners’ sugar

Decorations:

• ground cinnamon
• cinnamon sticks (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. In a small bowl, mix together the rum, 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 wells.
2. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cakes spring back when lightly pressed. Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. To make the frosting, cream together the butter, eggnog, rum, nutmeg and confectioners’ sugar. Add in more confectioners’ sugar if needed to make the frosting stiff, but spreadable. Frost the cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with cinnamon and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

I didn’t use dark rum, I only had light rum… I know, *smacks wrist* bad alcoholic!

Also.. I used a half cup of butter and 5 tablespoons of eggnog in the frosting, because as I was making it thats just what I felt it needed. Frosting is kind of a changeable thing anyway. I never use the same amount of anything in it each time I make it. Who knows why… its like asking where the socks go when you lose one in the dryer.

So theres a new recipe. I’ll be back soon with more, I have a bunch of holiday stuff up my sleeve. Adios!