Eggnog Cupcakes with Spiced Frosting!

It's that time of year again! Nog season... I had a craving for cupcakes, some stray eggnog and a day off; enter eggnog cupcakes! Mmmmm....

Eggnog Cupcakes with Spiced Frosting!

[adapted from http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/yellow-cupcakes]

[Makes 12]

For the cupcakes:
- 1 1/2c. all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 c. Eggnog
- 1/2 tsp. dark rum (I used Myers's)
- 1/2c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4c. minus 1 Tbs. sugar
- 2 large eggs

For the frosting:
- 1/2c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 1/4c. confectioner's sugar
- 1/2c. milk
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. dark rum
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1 healthy pinch cinnamon
- 1 dash ground cloves
- 1 pinch fresh ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch allspice
- cinnamon or cocoa powder, for garnish

For the cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line muffin tin with paper liners. In a small bowl, whisk or sift together flour, baking powder, salt and spices. In another bowl or measuring cup, combine nog and rum. [Try not to drink this; you really do need all of it for the cupcakes.] In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes (scrape down sides with spatula intermittently). Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. With mixer on low, add 1/2 dry ingredient mix, followed by nog-rum, then other 1/2 dry ingredients. DO NOT OVERMIX! Distribute into muffin tins, filling 1/2-3/4 full. Place tin on rimmed baking sheet, and bake until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 15-25 minutes. Cool cupcakes 5 minutes in tin, then transfer to wire rack or countertop to cool completely before frosting. [If you try frosting these while they're warm, the frosting will melt and get all over you. Still tasty, but more mess than it's worth. Wait the extra 10 minutes.]

For the frosting:
- Cream butter. Add everything except the sugar, and mix until smooth. Add confectioner's sugar in small batches, and mix until it's a spreadable consistency. You may need to add more milk or sugar to make it looser or thicker, respectively, and/or more salt to cut the sweetness. With the cupcakes, it can get a little overwhelming. (In a good way, of course.) Spread on cooled cupcakes, dust with cinnamon or cocoa powder, and enjoy!