Taste of the Holidays

My resolution last year was to bake one new thing a week for the entire year..ambitious as I entered into pregnancy with our 4th baby...;). Although, I didn't successfully fill my recipe book with 52 new recipes, I didn't do too badly...bringing 40 new recipes to the kitchen. One of my new holiday faves is eggnog cupcakes.

Pinterest is my go-to spot for new recipes, which is where I discovered a blog and these amazing cupcakes...:) If your an eggnog lover, these are for you!

The only modification I made to the original recipe was the icing. I never seem to have unsalted butter, so I used an old buttercream recipe and switched out the milk for eggnog... and adding a pinch of nutmeg! I think I actually prefer this icing, though my husband is a fan of the original..;)

Ingredients: 
1-1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1cup eggnog
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven 350 degrees, line muffin tin

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt. Sift

With electric mixer, combine last 5 ingredients.

Add dry ingredients until blended.

Bake for 22-24 mins.


Icing:
3 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup butter softened
1tsp vanilla
3tbsp eggnog
pinch of nutmeg


Directions:
*mix butter, eggnog, vanilla and gradually blend in icing sugar with electric mixer...this is where the kitchen-aid becomes my best friend. Enjoy!

My Rearview

Driving home from my oldest son's hockey game, I look in my rearview mirror to see 4 little boys smiling back at me. Every now and then, I feel the need to freeze the moment...I pull into the driveway and take a picture. How this image will change through the years. One day, I will look back and long to see those 4 little faces looking back at me. Life can move so fast. Sometimes, I just need to slow down a little and enjoy these rearview moments...