Chocolate Applesauce-Spice Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

These little devils won the vote at Dessert Club this month, and I know why. It's the cupcake. And the frosting. The cupcake is deeply chocolate, gently spiced, and very velvety. The frosting is also amazing. I would never have known it was brown sugar if I didn't think it resembled my favorite strawberry dip, which is sour cream and brown sugar stirred together. But it had others baffled, and surprised; one of those tastes that you know is good and you think you know, but you can't put your finger on it. Totally awesome, and worthy of the prize.

Chocolate Applesauce-Spice Cupcakes

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cocoa powder.

3. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and both sugars until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add applesauce and then flour mixture, beating until just combined after each. Stir in pecans by hand.

4. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each 3/4 full.

5. Bake, rotating them halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

6. To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting or for a fancier look pipe on frosting with a pastry bag filled with a big tip.

Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup packed light brown sugar

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, cream cheese, and brown sugar until smooth. Use immediately, or refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth, before using.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes and brought to Dessert Club by Connie Chow Dowler