Nutmeg Cupcakes or Muffins

These nutmeg cupcakes with lemon-cream cheese frosting are a delicious winter dessert, but they’re also great served warm without the frosting for breakfast.

Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes

To make the cupcakes:

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 
• 1 tsp baking soda 
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground or 1/4 tsp freshly grated 
• 1 tsp nutmeg, freshly ground 
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened 
• 1/3 cup applesauce 
• 1 cup raw sugar 
• 2 eggs 
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 
• 1/4 cup yogurt, buttermilk or kefir 
• 1 cup ripe bananas, smashed (from about 2 bananas) 
• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored and grated (The large holes on a cheese
  grater work well for this job.) 

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a muffin pan or line
   it with cupcake holders.
2. Combine the dry ingredients, and set aside.
3. Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla, then beat the eggs in one at a time.
   Fold in the yogurt, followed by the dry ingredients, mixing until just
   combined. Fold in the bananas and apples. Fill each cupcake cup about 2/3 full.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes, checking every couple of minutes afterward,
   until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer cupcakes to
   a wire rack to cool.
5. Serve as muffins or top with the following frosting to serve as
   cupcakes. Add a fresh grating of nutmeg over the top.