eggnog cupcakes

Got leftover eggnog from a Christmas party? Use it for these cupcakes!

Eggnog Cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cups (7.5 oz) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 8 TB unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1 cup (7 oz) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1/2 cup eggnog
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Eggnog glaze

• 1 1/2 cups (6 oz) powdered sugar
• 5 tsp eggnog
• 1 tsp rum or brandy (optional, use an extra tsp of eggnog if omitting)

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a 12-count cupcake tin with paper or foil liners.
2. Beat ingredients for glaze until smooth; set aside.
3. Measure the dry ingredients into a bowl and whisk to aerate and combine.
4. Cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.  The color should get significantly paler. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5. Beat in the eggs and vanilla for one minute, pausing and scraping down the bowl if necessary.
6. Mix in a third of the dry ingredients on low speed until just combined.
7. Mix in half of the eggnog on low speed until just combined.
8. Mix in another third of the dry ingredients…
9. Mix in the final half of the eggnog.
10. Mix in the final third of the dry ingredients, taking care not to overbeat but making sure that there are no patched of flour suspended in the batter.
11. Evenly distribute the batter among the prepared cupcake cups (I find a 1/4 cup disher to be about perfect).
12. Bake until cupcakes are pale golden on top and fully cooked when tested with a toothpick or paring knife, about 20-24 minutes.
13. Transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool for 45 minutes before drizzling with the glaze.