Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

...Take One

Alright, overall this recipe was a fail but I had a ton of fun baking! I hadn't baked in a long time, and I had a great helper. Don't judge Josh for wearing an apron. He was just embracing life. So, why was this recipe a fail?? It's partly my fault since all I own is a micro-grater. I think that the cake turned out super (read: overly) moist because we grated the apples down to liquid form. I should have bought a box grater. Guess what's #1 on my christmas list? Also, there wasn't enough spice. The recipe only calls for cinnamon but it would have been much better with a stronger spice array, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, etc. 

Here is the cake recipe:

·       1 1/4 cups flour

·       2 teaspoons baking powder

·       1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·       1/2 teaspoon salt

·       2 eggs, at room temperature

·       1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

·       1/2 cup granulated sugar

·       1/2 cup applesauce

·       2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

·       2 Rome apples (about 1 pound), peeled and shredded

 1. Shred the apple instead of chopping it for even distribution in the batter and to keep the cupcakes moist.

1      2. Arrange a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350°. Line a cupcake pan with baking liners. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

2.        3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Whisk in the oil and vanilla. Stir into the flour mixture until just combined; stir in the apples. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan until almost full. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

     Action shots

#1. The Set Up

#2. Having fun...

#3. Grating the #?$%!! out of the apples

#4: Josh LOVES baking!

      Let's forget about the cupcakes. The caramel frosting was interesting. A lot of the recipes that I looked at were for caramel drizzle from melted caramel candies. A No Go for a few reasons. #1 Sticky, #2 Hardens after a bit and #3 Apparently it seeps almost completely into the cake after a bit too which would not be ideal. So, I searched long and hard for a creamy/fluffy caramel frosting recipe and eventually found one that got great reviews. I've never made homemade caramel, so it was an adventure for sure. Josh rocked it, stirring like a madman for 2 minutes straight. (It doesn't seem like a long time, but it is...). 

Here's the frosting recipe:

·       1/2 cup butter

·       1 cup packed brown sugar

·       1/4 teaspoon salt

·       6 tablespoons milk

·       3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1.     Melt butter in a saucepan, stir in the brown sugar and the salt. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add the milk, stirring all the while.

2.     Return to heat and bring to a boil again. Remove from heat and allow to cool until lukewarm (approximately 20 to 25 minutes). Stir in the confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth and cool enough to spread. You might need to add a few drops of milk if frosting gets too stiff.

Action Shots

#1: Don't let it burn!

#2: Josh attacks it. 

#3: His hand's moving so fast  you almost can't see it...

In conclusion, this recipe is no bueno for the wedding. Let's move on. 

(But we did have fun, as evidenced by our HUGE smiles...)