[Recipe] "An Apple a Day... " Apple Pie Cupcakes

I'm on a bit of a cupcake crusade.  I secretly don't really like commercial cupcakes at all, finding most to be either too sweet, too dry, or way too rich.  The ratio of icing to cupcake, in my opinion, is also almost never right—I've actually had the unfortunate experience of biting into what was essentially a large slab of butter that never got creamed...

My cupcake crusade is very personal-- creating or baking a variety of cupcakes that prove that homemade is best.  What my cupcakes currently lack in presentation, they more than make up for in taste.  Or so I'm told... 

"An Apple a Day... " Apple Pie Cupcakes
a recipe inspired by Baked By Rachel
Yield: 16 cupcakes

If you're like me, you like to think you're eating healthy, even if you're not technically.  I'm all about making desserts that are ever-so-slightly healthier than they otherwise could be, then congratulating myself on making "healthy" choices.  I'm sorry if that's too honest... but it did lead me to this apple-centric cupcake, which uses a lot of applesauce (see, healthy!) and should generally help to keep the doctor away, per the old adage.

These cupcakes are a bit time- and (kind of) labor-intensive, but I think they're worth it, especially if you're looking to impress.  They're also pretty American (seriously, American pie?), so they're perfect (and a bit unexpected) for any number of special occasions.

Cupcake/Apple Pie Filling - Ingredients
4 cups apples (roughly 5 apples)
12 teaspoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Directions
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line a baking dish (13 x 9 will work) with aluminum foil and set aside.
2.  Peel, core, and chop apples into 1/2-inch pieces.  Toss with brown sugar and cinnamon to coat.  Add to baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes.
3.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool. 

Apple Spice Cupcake Base - Ingredients
6 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup applesauce (plain or cinnamon)
3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/8 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/8 teaspoons nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves

Directions
1.  Line a cupcake tin with liners and set aside.
2.  In a large bowl or stand mixer, mix together sugars, applesauce, and vegetable oil.  Mix in eggs and vanilla extract, followed by the remaining ingredients.  Mix just until combined.
3.  Divide the batter into the cupcake liners evenly.  Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted inside comes out clean. 

4.  After the cupcakes have cooled completely, scoop out the center of each cupcake and fill the resulting craters with the cooled apple pie filling.  Carefully slice the bottom of the cupcake scoop and place the new cupcake dome on top of the filling.

Caramel Buttercream Frosting - Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter
4-1/4 cups confectioner's sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/2 tablespoons caramel syrup
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions
1.  Prepare buttercream in a medium bowl or stand mixer.  Cream butter and confectioner's sugar together.
2.  Add the vanilla extract, caramel syrup, and heavy cream.  Beat until smooth and of a spreadable consistency.  More heavy cream may be added if necessary.
3.  Pipe or frost cupcakes as desired.  Drizzle with additional caramel syrup.  Top with a cinnamon apple chip or a real piece of pie crust.

This marks the first time I was ever able to use a frosting tip successfully (sort of).  The presentation fooled a lot of people—several (newer) co-workers wondered what the occasion was, for me to buy a dozen fancy cupcakes for the office.  Cupcake Mission: accomplished.