December Daily 10: Nog Celebration Cupcakes

Chad had his last two finals for OIT today so he is out for the rest of the year! He still has another week in University of Phoenix, but he is home with us! We are all so excited to just have some down time, relaxing and spending time together with nothing pressing to do!
SO what do I do when it's celebration time? Bake cupcakes obviously! (Making up for my huge amount of slacking on Cupckae Fridays).Introducing the (Mormon) Eggnog Cupcake!

Chad LOVES eggnog-I could take it or leave it and most of the time I leave it. These cupcakes though I would take every day! So delicious, gooey and perfect.

While looking for a recipe-all I could find were ones soaked in rum or bourbon and I just didn't have any of that laying around the house. I did have vanilla though-so these Loverlies were created.

• 4 tsp Vanilla
• 1 cup Egg nog (this is a Chad staple from the day it hits the stores, and he stocks up on it when he knows it's about to be taken away, then he goes into nog mourning until the following holiday season)
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 TBS apple cider vinegar

Mix these ingredients together with a whisk in one bowl and then in another bowl combine the following ingredients. Then combine wet and dry together and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/3 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Frosting is just as good as the cupcake-Chad and the kids loved it, and I think this might win as the new favorite cupcake-at least from Chad.

• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 3 TBS eggnog
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• pinch of nutmeg
• 2 cups confectioners sugar

Mix it up and frost those babies! I sprinkled mine with a cinnamon/sugar mix and stuck a cinnamon stick in for garnish-but not necessary. My mom gave me a good tip for buying cinnamon sticks since they are on the pricey side-buy them from a store that sells in bulk-they may cost $20 a pound still, but do you know how many sticks would be in a pound? They weigh next to nothing!The cupcake almost had a caramelized edge, that was just the right amount of crunchy (is that okay to say for a cupcake? I am lacking a better word here) and the inside was so moist and gooey, I hope you can see in this picture-such a tasty little treat, I may have to make them one more time before the holiday season is over, since these really come just once a year!