Ingredients

makes 18

　　2 cups all-purpose flour

　　2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

　　1 teaspoon baking soda

　　3/4 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

　　1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

　　8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

　　1 cup granulated sugar

　　1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

　　4 large eggs

　　Apple Cider Applesauce (recipe follows) or 1 1/2 cups store-bought applesauce

　　1 cup toasted pecans, chopped

　　1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature

　　

Apple Cider Applesauce

1 pound juicy apples, such as McIntosh, peeled, cored, and quartered

　　3/4 cup apple cider

　　1 tablespoon sugar, plus more if needed

　　Pinch of salt

　　(makes 1 1/2 cups)

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin and a 6-cup tin with paper liners. Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cloves together into a medium bowl. Set aside.

　　

Step 2

Put 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, the granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs, 1 at a time. On low speed, mix in the applesauce and then the flour mixture. Stir in the nuts by hand.

　　

Step 3

Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake until a tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely in the tins on a wire rack.

　　

Step 4

Meanwhile, in the clean bowl of the electric mixer, mix the cream cheese with the remaining 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter and 1 cup brown sugar on medium speed until smooth. Spread the cream cheese frosting on the muffins. The muffins can be refrigerated in airtight containers up to 2 days.

　　

Apple Cider Applesauce

Step 5

Bring the apples and cider to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover the pan; reduce heat. Simmer until the apples are very soft, about 12 minutes. Stir in the sugar and salt.

　　

Step 6

Cook (uncovered) over medium-low heat until the apples have broken down and most of the liquid is evaporated, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly.

　　

Step 7

Puree in a food processor until smooth. Add more sugar, if desired. Store in an airtight container up to 2 days.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.