Caramel Apple Cupcakes with Caramel Icing

     This was the first challenge for the What’s Baking? baker’s challenge. The challenge put forth was to create a fall themed cupcake. I immediately thought of either apple or pumpkin. After thinking on it, I decided to expand upon the apple cupcakes I made last week and make them into caramel apple cupcakes. I figured I could then do a caramel butter cream frosting for on top.

     I was watching Sandra Lee on TV the other day and she did a cupcake where she put most of the batter in the cups, then poured in the sweeter batter and did a swirl with it to incorporate it into the cupcake. I decided to do this with my apple cupcakes. I made them with a caramel swirl in them and then topped them off with the caramel buttercream frosting. The frosting is to die for. It is sweet, thick, and oh so full of caramel. I think it’s what makes the cupcake.

     To top it off I made marshmallow fondant apples to put on each one. The end result was a cute cupcake that tastes good and reminds me of fall.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

2 c. flour
2 t. cinnamon

1 t. baking soda

½ t. baking powder
½ t. salt
1 egg
1 egg white
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. sugar
½ c. butter
½ c. applesauce
1 t. vanilla
2 large apples-peeled, cored, and chopped
2 T. milk
1/3 c. caramel sauce (I used Hershey’s caramel syrup)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.

2. In a medium bowl mix the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl cream the butter, sugars, and applesauce. Add in the egg and egg white. Mix well. Add in the vanilla. Carefully stir in the dry ingredients and mix well. Add in the milk to make the mixture a little easier to stir.

4. Take 2/3 cup of the batter and put it in a small bowl. Mix in the caramel sauce. Meanwhile, add in the apples to the large bowl of batter and mix until combined.

5. Fill 18 muffin cups ½ full with the apple batter. Put a spoonful of the caramel batter on top of each. Take a knife and pulling from the bottom, swirl the two batters together.

6. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Caramel Buttercream Frosting

¼ c. butter
¼ c. caramel sauce
1 t. vanilla
1 ½-2 c. powdered sugar

1. In a medium bowl mix the butter, caramel, and vanilla until well blended. Slowly stir in the powdered sugar until the frosting is thick and holds it’s shape. Spread onto the cupcakes.