Our anniversary cupcake – Spiced apple cupcake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting

We celebrate ‘anniversary’ on a 100-day and yearly basis. It’s kind of a habit that Meo started and now has become an excuse for us to eat out/have cake/Skype before 12/and say ‘Happy anniversary baby!‘. We have now reached a stage of a relationship where my boyfriend brought home 2 meat buns to celebrate anniversary and when he said ‘I got something for you baby’, I asked ‘Something to eat?’. Here’s what we did on our 4th anniversary: me staring at Meo over Skype craving for that damn Vietnamese meat bun (my favourite favourite), and Meo took a good look at my cupcake without even asking what kind of cupcake that is *sob sob*, candles were also not needed! I guess romance has taken another kind of form.

As a compensation, I now have someone who buy me snacks on his way home, hold my hand even in our sleep at night, scrub the bathroom and take out the trash cause I wouldn’t do it (or maybe he really enjoys it?),  and above all, someone who’s still there after 4 years (almost always) apart. I guess happiness has taken another kind of form too.

I originally wanted to make a rosette cake on the day, but switched to something with ‘apple and cinnamon’ at last minute. They are the perfect combination of fruit and spice, really warming and very special together. Another couple: matcha and red bean were made use last year too. I’m making tradition here!

Spiced apple cupcakes (recipe from Sally’s baking addiction)

INGREDIENTS: (make 18 cupcakes)

• 2 egg
• 1/2 cup (65 g) butter, melted
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 tbs vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2 small apples, cored and finely diced

METHOD:

• Preheat oven to 175 C degrees. Place liners in cupcake pan
• In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, butter, sugar, milk and vanilla

• In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Make the well in the middle and slowly add the wet mixture, stir until just incorporated

• Gradually mix in the apples

• Fill the cupcake pan and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean
• Cool on rack

Cinnamon cream cheese frosting

INGREDIENTS:

• 200 g cream cheese
• 350 ml whipping cream
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 40 g confectionary sugar

METHOD:

• Beat cream until stiff peak form
• Combine cream cheese, sugar, salt, cinnamon & vanilla. Beat until smooth then fold in the whipped cream.

Happy anniversary baby! I’ll be home soon : )