Applejack Vanilla cupcakes (Blue/White game cupcakes)

       So here at Penn State University, we have an annual spring tradition called the Blue/White game.  The Blue/White game is a Penn State tradition where the the football team scrimmages against themselves as a preview for the next year.  Really, it is just an excuse for football starved PSU fans to come out, tailgate, and see the football team.  After a long, cold, snowy winter, this was a very anticipated weekend.  This year, the weather was perfect, low 60s, sunshine, blue skies and a light breeze.  Being in the center of Pennsylvania and in the month of April, the weather does not always cooperate.  Last year, Blue/White weekend was cold, snowy/rainy, and not very fun.  This year however, Mother Nature decided we needed a break and gave us a beautiful weekend.  (We paid for it however, Tuesday it rained/snowed and then was cold the rest of the week).
       My friend decided to have a tailgate to celebrate her daughter's final game at Penn State.  So me being the baker decided to whip up a fun, tasty, and slightly naughty cupcake.  I had a French vanilla cake mix on hand, but couldn't decide what flavors to add.  After much debate with my good friend Jamie, we decided that Applejack and french vanilla would take a tasty combination.  Jamie also came up with the brilliant idea to dye some of the cake batter blue and create the blue/white combination.  What came out were brilliant and very tasty blue/white cupcakes, the perfect addition for any football tailgate!


 Ingredients for Cupcakes:
1 Betty Crocker French Vanilla Cake mix
1 1/4 cup Applejack (instead of water)
1/3 cup oil
3 eggs
food coloring of choice


Ingredients for Applejack Frosting:
3 cups of powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 3 tablespoons Applejack
food coloring of choice

Instructions for cupcakes:
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place cupcake lines in a cupcake pan.  Pour the dry cake mix into the pan, add the eggs, oil, and Applejack (in place of the water).  Mix on low until combined, then beat for 2 minutes on high speed.  If you want to do the color scheme like I did, divide the batter in half.  Keep one half white (or color it a different color) and then color the other half blue (or whichever color you like).  I used the Neon food coloring for this cupcake and they came about vibrant and bright! Taking a large ice cream scoop, first scoop one color into the bottom, then scoop the second color on top.  Using an ice cream scoop will give you uniform cupcakes.
Bake the cupcakes 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes cleanly out of the center
   

The alcohol will cook out of the cupcakes but leave a nice apple flavor.  Warning!  When you go to check of the cupcakes are done, open the oven door a bit, and then pause a moment before leaning inside!  Because of the alcohol in the cupcakes, the steam released from the cupcakes will be very hot!  Don't burn your face! 

Remove the cupcakes from the pan and while they are cooling, make the frosting.

Frosting directions:
Take the 1 cup of softened butter, slowly mix this butter adding the 3 cups of sugar gradually.  I normally add it by the half cup.  About half way through, add the vanilla and 1 Tbsp of the Applejack.  Continue to beat the frosting.  Right before you put in the last of the powdered sugar, add 1 Tbsp more of Applejack. You can add more Applejack depending on that consistency that you would like the frosting to be.  Less Applejack = stiffer frosting, more Applejack = looser (more spreadable) frosting.

Frost and serve.  The flavor reminds me of apples with vanilla ice cream!  yummmmm