Precious Art By Precious People

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. baking soda
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (2 oz.) 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 2 tbsp. amaretto (almond flavored liqueur or substitute with 2% reduced fat milk)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup reduced fat sour cream
• ¼ cup 2% reduced fat milk
• ¾ cup finely chopped Gala apple
• 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp. chilled butter
• 2 tbsp. sliced almonds
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 4 tsp. 2% reduced fat milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place 12 paper muffin cup liners in muffin cups; coat liners with cooking spray. Combine 1 ½ cups flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine granulated sugar, cream cheese and ¼ cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add amaretto (or substitute with 2% reduced fat milk), vanilla and egg to sugar mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Combine sour cream and ¼ cup milk in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until well blended. Combine apple and 1 tbsp. flour in a small bowl; toss well. Add flour mixture and sour cream mixture alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until blended. Fold in apple mixture. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Combine remaining 2 tbsp. flour, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in 2 tbsp. butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal; stir in almonds. Sprinkle streusel evenly over cupcakes. Bake 350 degrees F for 27 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes on a wire rack; remove cupcakes from pan. Combine powdered sugar and 4 tsp. milk in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle glaze over cupcakes.

Tested in the THASC kitchen. Photo by THASC.

THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.

www.thasc.com