Apple Butter Cupcakes

1 yellow cake mix
1 cup apple butter
1 cup marshmallow cream
1 stick butter, melted
2 cups powdered sugar
cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix cake mix according to package directions.  Fill paper lined muffin tins 1/2 full with cake mix.  Spoon a heaping teaspoon full of apple butter into center of muffins.  Top each with heaping teaspoon full of batter to cover apple butter.  Bake 20-22 minutes or until done.  In a medium bowl mix marshmallow cream, butter and powdered sugar until well blended.  Fold in pecans and add cinnamon to taste.  Ice when cupcakes are completely cooled.  Makes about 18 cupcakes.

Applebutter Muffins

3 1/2 cups plain flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups apple butter
2 tsp. vanilla
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 cup evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)
1 cup chopped walnuts
cinnamon sugar (1 tsp. cinnamon, 3 tsp. sugar mixed well)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.  In a large bowl cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy.  Add eggs and beat well.  Beat in apple butter and vanilla.  Stir lemon juice into the evaporated milk.  Using low speed, alternately add the flour and milk to the apple butter mix until combined.  Fold in nuts.  Line regular size muffin tins with liners.  Fill 2/3 full.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.  Bake 20-25 minutes.  Makes 3 - 3 1/2 dozen muffins.

Comments - I found this recipe on Food.com and made a few changes.  For one, I doubled the recipe to give me more muffins.  I also added the nuts and cut down the amount of sugar, which could actually be cut down another 1/4 cup.  I used walnuts but pecans would work just as well.  You can also add raisins for an added texture and taste.  And if you don't have apple butter, use cinnamon flavored applesauce.