Apple Cinnamon Muffin with Brandy Butter Glaze

Today's overcast weather was great for baking and so I adapted this recipe from The Pastry Queen's Mini Apple-Cinnamon Loaves with Calvados Glaze. This book has such lovely recipes and stories that it inspires one to open their own bakery and cafe.

The original recipe was for the batter to be baked in mini loaf tins for 50-60 minutes but I split mine to fill regular and mini muffin cases.

Apple Cinammon Muffins with Butter Brandy Glaze
makes 30 cupcakes or 60 mini cupcakes

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
3 cups chopped apples (3-4 apples)
1 cup pecans, toasted

Glaze
1/4 cup or 1/2 stick butter
1/3 golden brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tbs golden syrup or light corn syrup
1 1/2 tbs brandy

Preheat the oven at 350F. In a mixer bowl, combine the wet ingredients and mix until creamy smooth. In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients together before stirring into the oil mixture until incorporated. Finally, stir in the apples and pecans to distribute evenly. The resulting batter will be very stiff. Scoop into muffin cases.
Bake for 30 minutes if making regular size muffins, 25 minutes if making mini muffins. Remove and cool slightly before glazing.

For the glaze, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Keep stirring to melt the butter and dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 2 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly then remove from heat.
Brush the glaze over the muffins. Serve warm or let the glaze cool and set for about an hour before storing.

Verdict: The brandy butter made this taste rather festive. I love butter and golden syrup - its my favourite thing on toast so by default, this is definitely something I will make again. Its so easy and finger-licking good!