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Spiced Apple Cupcakes

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Deliciously moist cupcakes packed with cooked apples and warm spices, topped with a luscious caramel buttercream frosting.

Ingredients

Scale
  • ¾ cup + 1 Tbsp butter softened
  • 4 medium sized apples
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 ¾ cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter softened (for frosting)
  • 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla (for frosting)
  • ½ cup jarred caramel sauce
  • 1-2 Tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Peel apples.
  2. Dice apples into 1-inch cubes.
  3. Place diced apples in a medium saucepan.
  4. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the saucepan with apples.
  5. Cook over medium/low heat for 15-20 minutes.
  6. Stir apples occasionally until soft enough to mash.
  7. Remove apples from heat.
  8. Mash apples until no chunks remain.
  9. Let mashed apples cool completely.
  10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C).
  11. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners.
  12. In a large bowl, beat ¾ cup butter and 1 cup sugar until creamy.
  13. Add 1 egg to the butter mixture.
  14. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla to the butter mixture.
  15. Continue to beat until well combined.
  16. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups flour, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt.
  17. Add about one-third of the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture.
  18. Combine until just mixed.
  19. Add about half of the cooled mashed apples to the batter.
  20. Combine until just mixed.
  21. Alternate adding the remaining flour mixture and apples to the batter in small batches.
  22. Combine until everything is just mixed.
  23. Scoop batter into prepared cupcake liners.
  24. Fill each cup about ¾ full.
  25. Place cupcake tin in the preheated oven.
  26. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
  27. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick; it should come out cleanly.
  28. Remove cupcakes from oven.
  29. Let cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack.
  30. To make the frosting, place 1 cup softened butter in a large bowl.
  31. Beat butter for 1 minute until it lightens in color.
  32. Add 2 ½ cups powdered sugar to the butter.
  33. Beat until smooth and combined.
  34. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla to the frosting.
  35. Add ½ cup jarred caramel sauce to the frosting.
  36. Beat until incorporated.
  37. Add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream at a time.
  38. Beat until desired frosting consistency is achieved.
  39. Place frosting in a piping bag with a tip of choice.
  40. Pipe frosting onto the tops of the completely cooled cupcakes.

Notes

Ensure apples are completely cooled before adding to batter to prevent melting butter.
Do not overmix the cupcake batter once dry ingredients are added; mix until just combined.
Allow cupcakes to cool fully before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
Add heavy cream to frosting slowly, one tablespoon at a time, to control consistency.
Use room temperature butter for both cupcakes and frosting for best results.

Find it online: https://homecookstudio.com/spiced-apple-cupcakes/