A Cure for Cupcakes

A couple of months ago, I brought home some gourmet-type cupcakes from a new little cupcake shop downtown. One of the flavors we really liked was a spice cake with maple cream cheese frosting. I thought about trying to make my own version of it, but most spice cakes I've had are way too dry. I sometimes put hot milk over a cake; but with cupcakes, doing that can make the bottoms too soggy. WELL, fortunately for me, Kelly T. and I had a cupcake discussion this week, and she told me what she's been doing lately to make a better cupcake.

Are you ready for this? I just love this idea! Seriously, I came home excited about it! (I know. That makes me a baking nerd. But I'm okay with that....)

Here it is......

Yep. That is a medicine syringe, like you get FOR FREE when your child is on meds. (Probably the only thing you got free when they were sick!) Well, here's one more way for you to use it.

After you've made your cupcakes, boil 3/4 cup of milk with 1/2 cup of sugar. Use the syringe to infuse the cupcakes with the hot milk when the cupcakes first come out of the oven. (I used 3/4 of a teaspoon for each cupcake).

I did this with the spice cake cupcakes, and they really did turn out good. (I had a coupon for a free cake mix, so I just used the Duncan Hines Spice Cake mix. I did add 1 T. of cocoa - idea courtesy of Paula Deen. I think it made the cake a little less spicy, a little more rich.)
My family likes maple-flavored things, so the maple cream cheese frosting REALLY topped it off. I omitted the vanilla, and instead added 3/4 teaspoon maple flavoring to my cream cheese icing.

As you can see, the kids really liked them, and it made for a nice Friday treat. Plus, since I had too many for our family to eat (without crossing into the realm of gluttony), I took some over to my favorite neighbors. And I'm so glad I did! It gave us a chance to visit, which we haven't done in too long.

We stuck Addie on the trampoline while the boys were jumping off all that sugar.

It really was a nice way to end the week!