Riesling/rosemary reduction for cupcake and frosting:
Place 2 cups of Sweet Riesling wine ( I used Boones Farm) in a pot bring to boil, reduce heat and continue to cook until reduced to 1 cup. Remove from heat and add 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, cover and steep for 5 minutes, then remove the rosemary. Cool liquid before using in cupcake and frosting.
Cupcake:
1-1/2 cup granular sugar
2/3 cup softened butter
3 egg whites
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
1 Tablespoon honey
½ cup shredded mackintosh apple (about 1 peeled apple)
¾ cup Riesling/rosemary reduction (see below)
2-3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1-Tablespoon Baking Powder
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
In a medium bowl mix together flour, Baking Powder and salt. Set aside.
In another medium bowl add shredded apple, honey, lemon zest and the Riesling/rosemary reduction. Set this aside.
In a larger bowl with an electric mixer, beat together the softened butter and sugar until fluffy. Add one egg white at a time, beating after each egg white addition. Alternately beat in flour mixture and apple/reduction mixture until batter is smooth.
Using miniature cupcake liners, line two 24 miniature cupcake tins. Fill each 3/4 full of batter. Bake 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks, making sure they are completely cool before frosting.
Frosting:
1 cup of butter at room temperature
3 cups confectionary sugar
Pinch salt
1-teaspoon salt
1/3 cup of Riesling Rosemary Jam
2 teaspoons of Riesling Rosemary reduction
In a medium bowl using an electric mixer beat together butter, jam and 2 teaspoons of Riesling Rosemary reduction. Add confectionary sugar and salt slowly until combined. Increase speed to high and beat until smooth, light and fluffy. Scrape sides of bowl in-between mixing to incorporate all ingredients. Frost cupcake (you can use your choice of cake decorating tip, using a circular motion starting at outer edge of cupcake working in towards center). If you do not have cake decorating bags and tips you can put the frosting into a gallon Ziploc bag, seal bag then cut cross wise, across one of the corners opposite the zip seal (about ¼ of an inch) and decorate as described above with cake decorating tip.
Submitted by: Linda C. S.. / Tupper Lake, NY