Hayden's 1st Birthday Cupcakes

Hayden celebrated his 1st birthday last Saturday, September 1st. We went up to Mount Bonnell for an evening picnic and to watch the sunset over Lake Austin. We didn't have a birthday party for him until a week later, but I did make him a batch of kid friendly cupcakes. You can't have a birthday and not have a cupcake, right? For that matter, you can't have a birthday and not lick the beater either! 

I debated between pumpkin, banana, carrot or apple his cupcakes. Mr. H doesn't love the first two so that left carrot cupcakes or apple cupcakes, except Hayden is kind of funny about textures in his food so I wasn't sure he'd like shredded carrots in his cake. And I was out of apple sauce. Enter his baby food- Plum Organics carrot and apple puree. It's delicious and worked perfectly in this recipe. You could use all carrot or apple if you prefer, but this is what I had on hand and it was a success. You could taste both fruits, but overall it was just like a moist and moderately sweet spice cake topped with a brown sugar and spice cream cheese frosting. It doesn't get much better than that! 

Carrot and Apple Spice Cupcakes from Monica h

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• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 large eggs
• 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup carrot and apple puree (Plum Organics Baby Food)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners and set aside. 

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars til fluffy and pale in color. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg and mix until the spices are fully incorporated. 

Add the eggs, one at a time, until well blended then add the maple syrup and vanilla and mix. 

Gently add the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir until just combined but avoid overmixing the batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula then add the pureed carrot and apple mixture. Stir until combined. 

Divide batter into 12 cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full. 

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool slightly before removing to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting with Brown-Sugar and Spice Cream Cheese Frosting. 

Brown Sugar and Spice Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 6 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until creamy and smooth. Add the brown sugar and spices and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy. Use immediately. 

Makes 12 cupcakes. 

Our attempt at a family photo :-) Happy Birthday Hayden!