It’s CUPCAKE Monday!

My oldest son has a lot of food allergies including several fruit allergies.  He can eat fruit if it is cooked or canned but not raw and fresh.  He loves apple pies but unfortunately, I am not a pie gal.  I absolutely stink at making pie crusts.  I have tried several times in the past but it just isn’t in me.  I saw this recipe in my new cupcake go-to book, Cupcakes Galore, and had to try this for my son {okay…for me too, I just wanted to seem oh so motherly!}.  These cupcakes are delicious!

Caramelized Apple Cupcakes

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramelized Apples

1/4 cup unsalted butter

4 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 16 pieces {I used my Pampered Chef Apple corer/peeler/slicer}

4 tablespoons sugar {I used two tablespoons}

Caramel Glaze

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon milk

1.  Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2.  In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  Add remaining cupcake ingredients and beat with a wooden spoon or whisk for 3 minutes.   {I used my mixer on a low setting for 3 minutes.}

3.  Spoon batter into cupcake papers, filling about 2/3 full.  Bake for abut 20 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool.

4.  To caramelize the apples:  in a large pan, melt the butter and lay out the pieces of apple, cooking them on both sides.  When they are golden, sprinkle them with sugar and remove from heat.  Arrange them attractively on the cupcakes, four apple sections per cupcake.  You may want to cook the apples in two batches.

5.  To make the glaze {or use ready-made caramel if you prefer}:  melt butter in a heavy pan over low heat.  Add brown sugar and stir for about 3 minutes until sugar is melted.  Remove from heat.  Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk and blend with a whisk.  Dribble about a tablespoon of caramel over each cupcake.

Yields 12 large cupcakes

sticky, gooey, appley hugs, mb

I’m linking this over at Blessed with Grace for Tempt my Tummy Tuesday and Forever Wherever for Tasty Tuesday!

eek…I went on a linking binge this week…so many great ladies with wonderful blogs and blog carnivals…added this link to A Southern Fairy Tale also!