Apple Pie Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream Frosting

Welcome to What's Under the Cake Dome Sunday # 31! 

 

Today's treat is a special one for the Mister.  As I've mentioned before, he is a connoisseur of Apple Pie!  We had apple pie on our first date (he claims that he knew immediately that we'd get married JUST because of the apple pie!)  We even served apple pie at our wedding in lieu of wedding cake.  See?  He's a connoisseur of apple pie!  I tell ya!

 

So today I've made the Mister Apple Pie Cupcakes with Carmel Buttercream Frosting.  Imagine moist applesauce cake topped with real apple pie filling and dolloped with homemade Carmel Buttercream frosting.  DECADENT!  It's an apple pie.  It's a cupcake.  It's caramel and cream.  It's almost sinful.   If you'd like to make your own applesauce, I posted my recipe yesterday and you can find it HERE.

 

Apple Pie Cupcakes with Caramel Butter cream Frosting

Ingredients:

Applesauce Cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups unsweetened applesauce

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F
2. Line cupcake pans (muffin tins) with paper liners or spray with PAM cooking spray
3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium high speed for about 4 minutes.
5. Add the sugars (white and brown) and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes)
6. Add the eggs and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed until combined.
7. In three parts, add the flour mixture, adding half of the applesauce between each part.  Beat on medium low until each part is well mixed.  You may need to scrape the edges of the bowl after the applesauce additions.
8. Scoop even amounts of batter into each cupcake/muffin tin.  I found using and ice cream scoop was the easiest method. 
9. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, watching carefully.  When toothpick comes out clean you know they are done.
10. Let the pans cool on a wire rack for half an hour before removing.
11. Prepare the frosting and the apple pie filling (RECIPES BELOW)
12. Layer each cupcake in this order: spread a layer of carmel buttercream frosting on each cupcake.  Top with a teaspoon of apple pie filling.  Finally, dollop a teaspoon of carmel buttercream frosting on top.

Caramel Sauce: (make the caramel sauce first so it can cool before making the frosting)

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 cup water
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Add the sugar and water to a medium saucepan and stir until combined.
2. Heat over medium high heat.  As the sugar starts to melt, stir to make sure sugar distributes evenly.  Stop stirring and continue cooking.
3. WATCH CAREFULLY!  As soon as the mixture begins to turn color, it will change very quickly.  Just as the caramel reaches a dark amber color, remove from heat and pour in cream and vanilla all at once., stirring with a wooden spoon to combine (Stand back as it will react and sizzle quite a bit).  This stage is key!  If the caramel gets too dark before you remove it from the heat, it will taste burned and bitter.
4. When the sizzling calms down, return to medium low heat and cook, stirring constantly for 3 minutes.
5. Pour into a bowl and let it rest until completely cooled.

Caramel Butter cream Frosting:

• One batch of caramel sauce (recipe above)
• 3/4 cup salted butter at room temperature
• 2 cups icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium high speed for about 3 minutes.
2. Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating on medium speed after each addition.  After every other addition, increase speed to high and beat for 10 seconds.
3. Add the caramel sauce and beat frosting on low speed to combine.  Increase speed to medium high and beat until fluffy and thoroughly mixed.

Apple Pie Filling:

• One large apple, peeled, cored and sliced very thin slivers.
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• Dash of ground nutmeg
• Dash of ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon flour

1. Melt butter in large pan over medium heat.  Add apples, sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cloves and lemon juice.
2. Cook, stirring until apples are softened to your preference (about 10 minutes).
3. Remove from heat and stir in flour.  Cool.

Yield:  approximately 18 - 20 cupcakes
Recipe adapted from Snixy Kitchen

Until next time,

Cheers!

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