Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes

Cupcakes:

1 standard-sized yellow, white, or vanilla cake mix (I used Duncan Hines' French vanilla)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

eggs as called for on box

oil as called for on box

apple cider in amount of water called for on box (you are substituting cider for water)

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, at cool room temperature

1/4 cup shortening (or substitute an additional 1/4 cup butter)

1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon, depending on how cinnamony you want your frosting to be)

1 egg yolk (optional, and yes this means you'll have raw egg, but it makes for a silkier frosting)

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed into the measuring cup

approximately 2 cups powdered (confectioner's) sugar

milk or apple cider as needed (no more than a tablespoon or so if you need it at all)

For the cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcakes tins with paper liners...as many your cake mix says it will make. In a large bowl, whisk the cake mix and cinnamon together. In a separate bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk the eggs, oil, cider, and applesauce together. Dump this mixture into the dry ingredients and beat with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until the lumps are mostly worked out. Portion out into your lined cupcake tins and bake according to package directions until the centers test clean. Cool a couple minutes in the pans, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

For the frosting:

Beat the butter, shortening if you're using it, egg yolk if you're using it, cinnamon, and brown sugar in a large bowl until very fluffy, about 3-5 minutes with an electric mixer. Beat in the confectioner's sugar a cup at a time, adding cider or milk if your frosting looks too stiff or more confectioner's sugar if it looks too loose. Spread or pipe on your cupcakes. Store airtight in a cool place. Makes a couple dozen, depending on your cake mix.

(Recipe via https://www.facebook.com/guiltychocoholicmama/.)