CARAMEL APPLE CUPCAKES

It’s supposed to be fall, but today we went to the park and I was almost sweating because of how warm it was. Anyone else? It’s already November, so if fall doesn’t start soon, I’m afraid it’s just going to jump straight to winter and start snowing! Before we went to the park, we had a big shopping trip at Ikea. Since we recently moved from Utah to Kansas City, and bought our first house, we’ve become loyal Ikea shoppers. I have three kids, where two can (and do) wreak havoc, and one is about 6 months away from it. I love that I can buy a cheap table and chairs, where I don’t have to freak out when the kids draw all over it with markers. As in, that’s a true story, the dining room bench is covered in marker…

Anyways, I used to love strolling around Ikea, looking at the cute rooms, thinking someday I’d have my own house where I can have a cute little this and pretty little that. Now my husband and I throw our oldest in Smaland and then do a mad dash through the top floor to check everything out before our one hour is up and we have to pick her up. Then we are dragging three kids through the bottom floor and pushing two giant carts full of stuff while trying to keep their hands away from the glass bottles and plates and and and… Basically it’s crazy and it wipes us out for the rest of the day!

Ingredients

• Caramelized Apple
• 2 T sugar
• 1 T butter
• 1 apple Fuji, or a baking friendly apple
• Cupcakes
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 6 T butter room tempaerature
• 2 eggs
• 1 T vanilla
• 1/2 cup milk
• Caramel Whipped Cream
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 T water
• 1 cup cream

Instructions

1. Make the caramel whipped cream: Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir to melt the sugar until mixture starts to simmer. Stop stirring, and let the sugar caramelize. When sugar is a deep amber color, remove from heat and slowly add cream while stirring (it will hiss and bubble up). When all of the cream has been added, return to heat and stir until fully combined. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool and place in refrigerator to fully cool. 
2. Make the caramelized apple: Peel, cut in half, and core one apple. Stir 2T of sugar and a couple teaspoons of water together in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Let sugar caramelize without stirring, and add butter when sugar is amber colored. Once butter is melted, add the apple halves and stir to coat. Once the apple is slightly softened on the outside, remove from heat and set aside. When cool, chop into pieces, to be folded into cupcake batter. 
3. Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place 12 cupcake liners in a muffin tin. Combine flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl and set aside. Cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add egg one at a time and beat well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla, and slowly stir in milk. When combined, add the flour mixture and stir/fold to combine, making sure not to over-stir. Fold in the chopped apples. Spoon into cupcake liners and bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
4. .....................................

for full instruction please see : www.contemplatingsweets.com

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