Glazed Spice Muffins

After assessing the number of baked goods I have consumed in the past month, I decided it would be in my better interest to come up with some healthier alternatives to the traditional recipes I have been baking. I researched and read a lot, and decided to try a "doughnut" muffin, made my way.  While this muffin is not 100% healthy, it does have some healthy substitutions and was a successful first attempt at healthful baking (and quite delicious, too!). While in the kitchen working this batter, the muffin turned into more of a spice cake, so I decided to go with that!  This recipe produced the absolute prettiest muffin top I have ever baked myself.  My sister and husband both approved, and I believe this muffin may make more appearances at breakfast time!

The middle:

Glazed Spice Muffins:
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 to 1 ¼ teaspoons ground nutmeg, to taste (I used 1)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled.
2/3 + 1/8 cup milk, approximately. (My fellow facebookers out there know why this is approximate)
For the Glaze:
3 tablespoons butter; melted
1 cup confectioners’ sugar; sifted
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons hot water

- Cream together butter, applesauce, honey and sugar until smooth.  Add in eggs one at a time.  Stir in baking powder, soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla.  Fold in flour and milk alternately, ending in flower.  Fill muffin liners almost full and bake for approximately 16 minutes at 425 degrees.  To prevent sticking, lightly mist the muffin liners with cooking spray before filling. Let muffins cool for 10 minutes and then glaze. -

Happy Baking!