Treat Yourself to GF Apple Cider Cupcakes

It’s the perfect time of year for these gluten-free apple cider cupcakes, which are a treat full of nostalgic fall flavors that will have you reminiscing of your favorite harvest memories. They are a hit with kids and adults and, believe me, nobody would ever know they are gluten free.

Ingredients:

1 (15-ounce) bag gluten-free yellow cake mix (TRY: Glutino or King Arthur)*
¼ cup butter (melted)
2 eggs
1 Tbs. ground cinnamon
⅔ cup real apple cider (not from concentrate)

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

⅓ cup real apple cider
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
2 Tbs. unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cups of a cupcake pan with paper baking cups.

1. Using a stand mixer, combine cake mix, melted butter, eggs, 1 Tbs. cinnamon and ⅔ cup apple cider until well combined.
2. Fill cupcake liners 2 /3 full with batter. Bake 18–22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
3. While cupcakes are baking, prepare frosting. In a small saucepan, bring 1 /3 cup apple cider to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and simmer until liquid has reduced to 1 Tbs., about 6 minutes; set aside to cool. Using a mixer, beat cream cheese and 2 Tbs. butter until fluffy. Slowly add cinnamon and then powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, and mix until incorporated. Fold in reduced apple cider. If frosting is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar, 1 Tbs. at a time. If frosting is too thick, add a little more apple cider, 1 Tbs. at a time.
4. When cupcakes have cooled, top with frosting and a dash of cinnamon.

*Alternatively, in place of using a gluten-free yellow cake mix, make your own mix by combining 2¼ cups all-purpose gluten-free flour, 1¼ cups sugar, 1 Tbs. baking powder and 1 tsp. each of salt, baking soda and xanthan gum.

PER SERVING (1 cupcake): 191 cal, 9g fat (3g mono, 1g poly, 5g sat), 56mg chol, 238mg sodium, 54g carb (1g fiber, 39g sugars), 2g protein

SOURCE: The recipe by Chandice Probst is posted by permission of Delicious Living (and its parent company New Hope Network), a trusted voice in the natural living community for 30 years. Photo by Jennifer Olson.