Irish Cream Cupcakes for Saint Patricks Day

Irish eyes will be smiling when you serve these yummy cupcakes to mark St. Patrick's Day.
They can easily be prepared ahead of time so after dinner desert is ready to serve.

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 25 min. Bake: 20 min. + cooling

MAKES: 24 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups sugar (Awful lot of sugar, a little too sweet I think, try just one cup.)
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup Irish cream liqueur
• FROSTING:
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
• 6 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
2. Beat in applesauce and vanilla (mixture may appear curdled). Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with liqueur, beating well after each addition.
3. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
4. For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in liqueur. Add confectioners’ sugar; beat until smooth. Pipe over tops of cupcakes. Refrigerate leftovers.Yield: 2 dozen.

Nutritional Facts

1 cupcake equals 273 calories, 9 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 38 mg cholesterol, 170 mg sodium, 45 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 2 g protein.