Caramel Apple Cupcakes
Apple spice cupcakes filled with a caramel apple compote and topped with brown butter cream cheese frosting, salted caramel and roasted peanuts
Equipment
- Electric Stand Mixer (or hand mixer)
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 2 cups apples, diced in small pieces (Two large sized apples)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons salted caramel sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Apple Spice Cupcakes
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup cream cheese, room temp
- 4 cups confectioners sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup roasted, salted peanuts, finely chopped
- salted caramel sauce
- 12 Branch cake pop sticks
Instructions
Apple Filling
- Combine the diced apples and lemon juice, and stir to combine.2 cups apples, diced in small pieces, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- In a skillet over medium-low heat, combine the butter and the caramel and cook until melted and bubbling. Whisk in the salt and cinnamon.2 tablespoon unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons salted caramel sauce, ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt, ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- Add the apples to the caramel mixture. Cook until the apples have softened, and are a bit translucent, and the sauce has thickened, about 5-6 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla. Allow the mixture to cool completely.½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Apple Spice Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and whisk to combine. Set aside.1½ cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar and brown sugar. Beat on medium speed for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy.½ cup unsalted butter, softened, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until they're fully mixed in. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.2 large eggs, room temperature, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the flour mixture into the mixer in three additions, alternating with the applesauce in two additions. Start and end with the flour. Mix until just combined.¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
- Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure everything is fully mixed and incorporated.
- Divide the batter into the liners. You will use every bit of this batter. Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before filling.
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place the butter in a light-colored skillet. Melt the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam. Keep stirring occasionally.½ cup unsalted butter
- After 5-8 minutes, the butter will begin browning. There will be lightly browned specks forming at the bottom of the pan and it will have a nutty aroma.
- Once browned to an amber color, remove from heat immediately and allow the butter to cool until solid, but still soft, like a thick paste.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cooled brown butter, and the cream cheese. Mix until thoroughly combined.1 cup cream cheese, room temp
- Mix in the confectioner's sugar, a cup at a time, mixing after each addition until combined.4 cups confectioners sugar
- Add the salt and the vanilla.¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Turn the mixer up to medium speed, and whip for 3 minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Whip again for another 2 minutes.
- Using a sharp knife, cut a hole into the center of the cooled cupcakes to create a space for the apple filling. The piece you removed will be the shape of a cone.
- Spoon the apple filling inside each carved out cupcake, filling the cupcake to the top. Slice off the pointy end of the cone piece you removed so that it can fit on top of the filling. Place on top of the filling.
- Use a large ice cream scoop to scoop heaping portions of the frosting onto each of the cupcakes.
- Use a small, offset spatula to smooth out the frosting to the edges, while still maintaining the dome shape.
- Place the peanuts in a shallow bowl. Roll the sides of the cupcakes through the peanuts.¾ cup roasted, salted peanuts, finely chopped
- Drizzle the salted caramel sauce over the cupcakes. Insert a popsicle stick or cake pop stick into the center.salted caramel sauce
Nutrition
Calories: 423kcalCarbohydrates: 77gProtein: 7gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 360mgPotassium: 176mgFiber: 2gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 852IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 1mg
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