Apple Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Preheat oven to 350℉ and line 2 muffin pans with cupcake liners. Set aside.
2. Brown the butter over medium heat, stirring constantly until the butter begins to foam and turns a golden brown, emitting a nutty aroma. Take the butter off the heat and allow to cool. Alternatively, you can just melt the butter but you will need to reduce the amount of butter to 1 cup.
3. In a small bowl, toss the diced apple with 1 tsp cinnamon. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, remaining spices, and salt. Set aside.
5. In a large bowl, add the eggs, granulated sugar, brown butter, vanilla extract, bourbon and apple sauce. Beat until combined.
6. Fold in the dry ingredients with a spatula until just combined. Then fold in the apples.
7. Divide the batter evenly into each muffin tin.
8. Cook for 22-27 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
9. To make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and no lumps remain.
10. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar about 1 cup at a time. Beat in 1-2 tablespoons milk as needed until the desired sweetness and consistency is reached.
11. Frost the cupcakes once they’re cooled, and enjoy!