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To elevate your Harvest Delight Apple Cider Cupcakes, consider adding a delicious cream cheese frosting. This optional frosting is the perfect complement to the warm flavors of the cupcakes, enhancing their overall appeal. Here’s how to make it step-by-step:

Apple Cider Cupcakes

Celebrate the flavors of fall with these irresistible Harvest Delight Apple Cider Cupcakes! Bursting with the tangy taste of apple cider and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, these cupcakes evoke cozy memories of autumn gatherings. Each bite offers a delightful mix of soft cupcake and juicy apple chunks. Perfect for any occasion, whether enjoyed plain or topped with a luxurious cream cheese frosting, these treats are sure to bring joy to your kitchen and heart.
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Ingredients
  

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 cup apple cider

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup peeled and finely chopped apples (preferably Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)

Optional: Apple Cider Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)

Instructions
 

Preheat Your Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.

    Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined.

      Cream Butter and Eggs: In another bowl, cream the softened butter until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

        Combine Liquid Ingredients: Stir in the apple cider and vanilla extract to the butter mixture until just combined.

          Combine Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined (be careful not to overmix). Gently fold in the chopped apples.

            Fill Cupcake Liners: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ full.

              Bake: Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

                Cool: Once baked, remove from the oven and let the cupcakes cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

                  Frost: Once the cupcakes are completely cool, frost them with the optional Apple Cider Cream Cheese Frosting or enjoy them plain.

                    Apple Cider Cream Cheese Frosting (optional):

                      - 8 oz cream cheese, softened

                        - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

                          - 1 cup powdered sugar

                            - 2 tablespoons apple cider

                              - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

                                Prep Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 12 cupcakes