Martha Washington Cupcakes

I found these in "Cupcakes!" by Lynn Koolish, and think they'd make a wonderful fall or holiday cupcake with all of the spices and dried fruits in them! You can change the dried fruit and nut combination to fit your personal tastes. Frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 24
• Yields: 2 dozen

Ingredients

• 1  cup butter, room temperature
• 5  eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 2  cups  total  , chopped dried fruit (apples, pears, apricots, cherries, blueberries)
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped  almonds
• 1  cup sugar
• 1 1⁄4 cups flour
• 1  teaspoon mace
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons nutmeg
• 1⁄8 cup  orange juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tin with paper baking cups.
2. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
3. Cream butter, then slowly add to the egg whites.
4. Slowly add sugar to the egg white/butter mixture, then add egg yolks.
5. Add flour, mace, nutmeg, and orange juice gradually.
6. By hand, stir in fruit and nuts.
7. Pour into muffin tin and fill cups 1/2-2/3 full.
8. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until done.
9. Frost with any cream cheese frosting, or just dust with powdered sugar.