Carmel Apple Cupcakes

It’s the first day of September and Fall is coming, here in northern Utah it hasn’t quite arrived but it is coming.  And with the coming of Fall I always am reminded of the smell of cinnamon and apples.   

Today I found the most wonderful cute Carmel Apple Cupcakes.  Imagine with me, apple flavored cupcakes, filled with carmel, topped with cream cheese frosting, all decorated like a cute little apple!  I cannot wait to make these!  I just have one question, does anyone know where to get those paper cupcake cups for cheap?

Carmel Apple Cupcakes by I Heart Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes (I got 16)

INGREDIENTS

For apple cupcake
2-3 apples, granny smith (I substituted 1 cup unsweetened applesauce)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup apple juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

For caramel
2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1-1/2 tablespoon light corn syrup
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

[NOTES: Caramel recipe makes a good amount. You might want to 1/2 it or you can refrigerate any leftovers for ice cream topping or other dessert topping. Just microwave it in intervals until you get the right consistency.]

For cream cheese frosting
8oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 vanilla bean, cut lengthwise and scraped
1 lb (~4 cups) powdered sugar, sifted

pretzels
green sprinkles
mint leaves
black sesame seeds

[NOTES: I prefer green (granny) apples when I think of caramel but you could easily use red sprinkles for a shiny red apple too!]

INSTRUCTIONS

To make cupcakes—

Preheat oven 350F.

Rinse and core the apples. Place them on an ovenproof pan or baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes until soft. Remove the apples from the oven, let cool slightly, then remove peel and mush the apple with the back of a fork. Measure out 1 cup of apple mush and set aside to cool.

Combine flour, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a medium sized bowl and whisk to combine. Crack the eggs into a separate, medium sized bowl and beat with a form to break up. Add the oil, apple juice, vanilla, and cooled apple mush and mix to combine. Combine the wet and dry ingredients until all ingredients come together.

Scoop into cupcake papers about 2/3 full. Bake in 350F oven for 20-22 minutes, rotating the pan after 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

 To make caramel—
Put sugar, water and corn syrup in saucepan, stir just to combine ingredients. Turn to medium-high heat, without stirring, for 5-10 minutes until caramel turns an amber color. Wipe down any spatters with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Lower the heat a little and add the cream and butter. (Caramel will bubble!) After the bubbling decreases, stir caramel to break down lumps. Pour into a pyrex measuring cup to cool.

You can see caramel pictures on my food blog.

To make frosting—
Whip the butter and cream cheese together in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until creamed. Add vanilla beans. Gradually add powdered sugar. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

To assemble cupcakes—
Fill cupcakes with caramel using the cone method.

Dollop a fairly good amount of frosting and shape into a spherical shape.

Roll cupcake in green sprinkles to cover the frosting. Break off pretzel and stick into the top to resemble a stem. Insert a mint “leaf” in the frosting near the stem. Notch out a “bite” shape and arrange 3 sesame seeds to resemble apple seeds.

ENJOY!

Husband rating: A
He really like the apple cupcake but not a huge fan of the caramel center. He loves that cream cheese frosting but not with the sprinkles. I think its a texture thing for him.

Wifey rating: A/A+
I loved the flavors of the apple cupcake with the caramel and cream cheese frosting. And who knew that pretzels with cream cheese frosting was so good?? HAHA. I realize that the apple may not be anatomically correct but I think the seeds are pretty darn cute anyways.

So cute, thank you I Heart Cupcakes for sharing!

 

If you are looking for more great Autumn Cupcake ideas, head over to Party Cupcake Ideas for a list of 25 Autumn Cupcakes.