Caramel Apple Cupcakes #appleweek

*Disclosure: I received product to sample from ­­­­Rodelle.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Today’s Appleweek post is sponsored by Rodelle who sent some awesome flavorful vanilla & almond extracts!  Fantastic!

Today is also Johnny Appleseed’s Birthday!

Johnny Appleseed one of those interesting figures from history.  Many o the tales of Johnny Appleseed are so embellished that they border on myth, but Johnny Appleseed was a real man by the name of John Chapman.

John Chapman really did plant apple trees back in the early 1800’s as a way pf showing ownership for land (which he then bartered with other settlers in the area).  Though most of Johnny Appleseed’s many many trees were torn down in the 1920’s (to deter people from making illegal hard cider during prohibition), there is still 1 tee in Pennsylvania known as the last living tree planted by Johnny Appleseed himself.  It (like all of Johnny Appleseed’s trees) produces small tart green apples, coined “spitters” back in Johnny Appleseed’s Day.

In honor of Johnny Appleseed’s birthday, I had to make cupcakes (obviously).

I decided to give my Caramel Apple Cupcakes a little facelift and see if I resolve some of the cupcake cave-in issue I ran into last time. 

I was successful-ish.  The trouble with cutting the oil in the recipe and replacing it with applesauce is that it makes a much denser cupcake that falls in on itself once it cools.

The last time I made these cupcakes, they collapsed a lot.   I used a bit less applesauce this time and while they still collapsed, it was considerably less than last time. 

I also played up the spices a bit more this time around and the result there was amazing!

Plus I topped these off with my homemade 4-Ingredient Honey Caramel Sauce, so it was basically amazing.

Happy Birthday Johnny Appleseed!

Don’t forget the enter the giveaway below (see the awesome prize pack here) And visit Rodelle here:

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Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Cake

1 white cake mix

1 (3.4 oz) vanilla instant pudding

8 oz sour cream

4 eggs

8 oz (¾ cup) unsweetened applesauce

¾ cup 100% apple juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground ginger

Frosting

2 cups Crisco vegetable shortening

2 lbs powdered sugar

2 tbsp meringue powder

6-8 tbsp water

1 tsp vanilla

2 tablespoons salted caramel sauce

Pinch of salt

To Decorate

Caramel sauce, optional

Apple slices

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a cupcake tin with paper liners

Place all of the cake ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Divide the batter evenly between 24 cupcake liners.

Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the tops are browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean (a few moist crumbs are fine).  Cool completely, the tops of the cupcakes may cave in slightly (the use of apple sauce makes a slightly moister, denser cupcake that is prone to falling a bit during cooling).

To make the frosting, place all frosting ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer (starting with 6 tablespoons of water).  Beat on medium low until combined.  Slowly add additional water until preferred consistency is reached.  Beat until smooth.

Place 1 teaspoon of caramel sauce into the divot on the cupcake.  Frost with salted caramel buttercream (I used a Wilton tip 1M).  Top each cupcake with an apple slice and drizzle with caramel sauce.

Apple Almond Butter Manchego Grilled Cheese from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures Apple Almond Chicken Salad from Books n' Cooks Apple Bacon Jam from Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids Apple Cinnamon Rolls from Sew You Think You Can Cook Apple Fritter Pie from Dad What's 4 Dinner Apple Nachos from Simple and Savory Apple Pecan Chicken Salad from The Chef Next Door Apple Turnovers from A Day in the Life on the Farm Applesauce Cake with Soft Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting from Cooking With Carlee Autumn Apple Sipper from Culinary Adventures with Camilla Bavarian Apple Oatmeal Streusel Cheesecake from All That's Jas Caramel Apple Cupcakes from Amy's Cooking Adventures Grilled Apple Tossed Salad from Jolene's Recipe Journal Mini Apple Muffins with Oatmeal Streusel Topping from Family Around the Table Nutmeg Apple Conserve from Feeding Big Red Cabbage with Apple from Palatable Pastime Roasted Apple and White Cheddar Soup from 4 Sons 'R' Us Sauerkraut & Sausage with Apples from House of Nash Eats

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Caramel Apple Cupcakes

by Amy's Cooking Adventures September-25-2017

Caramel Apple Cupcakes for Johnny Appleseed's Birthday! #appleweek

Ingredients

• 1 white cake mix
• 1 vanilla instant pudding
• 8 ounces sour cream
• 4 eggs
• 8 ounces applesauce
• 3/4 cup apple juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 2 cups shortening
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons meringue powder
• 6 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons salted caramel sauce

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a cupcake tin with paper liners Place all of the cake ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until smooth, about 2 minutes. Divide the batter evenly between 24 cupcake liners. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the tops are browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean (a few moist crumbs are fine). Cool completely, the tops of the cupcakes may cave in slightly (the use of apple sauce makes a slightly moister, denser cupcake that is prone to falling a bit during cooling).To make the frosting, place all frosting ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer (starting with 6 tablespoons of water). Beat on medium low until combined. Slowly add additional water until preferred consistency is reached. Beat until smooth. Place 1 teaspoon of caramel sauce into the divot on the cupcake. Frost with salted caramel buttercream (I used a Wilton tip 1M). Top each cupcake with an apple slice and drizzle with caramel sauce.

Details

Prep time: 25 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 50 mins Yield: 24