Apple and Cranberry Tea Cupcakes with Custard Cream Cheese Icing

Do you feel that when Christmas is over, it's over, and needs to stay that way until next December? That reminders of the merriment now past, and a whole 340 days away, are just too painful?
I kind of do, too.  But wait - please don't put this in your to-read-in-December-only folder!

I know this recipe sounds very Christmassy. There's an explanation for that. (Bear with me!)
  As part of their Christmas range, Woolworths was selling a really cute tin of apple and cranberry infused rooibos tea. I don't drink fruit teas (unless they're iced), but I really liked the tin.  Knowing that good things come to those who wait (at the post-Christmas sale!), I waited and snapped it up for 50% off.
Bargain ;o)
But I still have to make use of the tea to warrant the purchase.
It smells heavenly, and will make a great iced tea; and also... cupcakes...!
You don't have to use this particular infusion - although I have teabags to spare if you'd like some :o) - any fruit tea will do. (How exciting are all those possibilities!)
And if you're not a rooibos fan, no problem - you don't taste it in the cupcakes.

Apple and Cranberry Tea Cupcakes with Custard Cream Cheese Icing

Recipe by Tea, Cake and Create

Dried Apple 
(recipe adapted from Your Family Magazine)

2 apples, thinly sliced
30ml caster sugar
30ml boiling water.

Mix the sugar in the boiling water, until it is dissolved.
Brush both sides of the apple slices with the sugar syrup and place the slices onto a wire rack.
Dry out in the oven for approx.1 hour - the edges of the apple will start to curl, but they will still be soft enough to bend.
Remove from the oven, and pitch at the base to enhance the folds.
Cool in an egg tray to maintain the shape. (If you don't have a plastic egg tray, cover a egg carton with pieces of foil).

Apple and Cranberry Cupcakes
Recipe by Tea, Cake and Create

Preheat the oven to 180'C
Line 2 x muffin pans with cupcake cases. Make 20-24 cupcakes.

Ingredients:
250g butter
150g caster sugar
3 eggs
160ml apple and cranberry infused rooibos tea*
125ml buttermilk
320g flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
80g dried cranberries

*to make the tea, pour 160ml boiling water over a teabag, and steep for 20 minutes.

Cream together the butter and sugar.
Add the eggs, one at a time - scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions.
Beat until light and fluffy.
With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients with the buttermilk and tea. Begin and end with the dry ingredients.
Fold in the cranberries.
Spoon into the prepared cupcake cases.
Bake at 180'C for approx 20min, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Remove from the muffin pan to cool.

Custard Cream Cheese Icing
Recipe by Tea, Cake and Create

100g butter,  at room temperature
50g sifted icing sugar
250g cream cheese, chilled
180ml thick custard, chilled

Beat together the butter and icing sugar.
Beat in the cream cheese, followed by the custard.
Pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.
Decorate with dried apple.

Enjoy!

xxM