9-year-old is learning about governments and presidents…

Me: Hey, do you want to be a president?

9-year-old: I cannot even manage 2 sisters, let alone 300 million people.

Me: !!!!

Apple cupcake with cream-cheese frosting

(Adapted from The Cupcake Diaries)

For 12 cupcakes:
150 g all-purpose flour (sifted)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
8 tbs unsalted butter (at room temperature)
150 g sugar
2 eggs (at room temperature)
2 1/2 tbs hot water
2 apples (peeled, cored, and grated)

For the cream cheese frosting:
2 tbs unsalted butter (at room temperature)
130 g confectioners’ sugar (sifted)
3 oz cream cheese (at room temperature)
1/8 tsp vanilla extract

To make the cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Line a standard cupcake pan with 12 baking cups.
3. In a bowl, sift flour + baking powder + ground cinnamon + salt.
4. In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer to beat butter at medium speed.
5. Add sugar to the butter and mix until the mixture become fluffy and light yellow.
6. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, to the butter-sugar mixture and beat at medium speed.
7. Reduce the speed to slow, add 1/3 the flour mixture + 1 tbs hot water into the butter mixture.
8. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture + 1 tbs hot water.
9. Finally add the remaining 1/3 flour mixture + 1/2 tbs hot water.
10. Use a spatula to fold the grated apple into the batter.
11. Use an ice-cream scoop to fill each baking cup with batter.
12. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
    • Note: to check, insert a toothpick into the center of a cupcake and make sure it comes out clean and dry.
13. Allow the cupcakes to cool down completely on a baking rack.

To make the cream-cheese frosting:

1. Use a handheld mixer to beat all ingredients until light and airy.
   • Note: beat at high speed at the very end so the frosting can be fluffy.
2. Use a piping bag fitted with a round tip to add the cream-cheese frosting onto the cupcakes.