Apple Cupcakes

Last Fall my office held an “Apple Challenge” cooking contest to promote use of local produce. I was very proud of my Apple Tart and Apple Ice Cream entries. My colleague, who was responsible for organizing the contest, recently left the company and we had a cupcake going away party for her to say goodbye. I made several batches of cupcakes for the party, including these apple-shaped treats.

Servings: 12 cupcakes

Fresh
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, divided, room temperature
2 large eggs yolks, room temperature
1 egg white, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Macintosh or other red variety
1/4 cup milk
Mint leaves for garnish

Pantry
1-1/2 cups (7-1/2 oz.)  flour
1 cup (7 oz.) granulated sugar
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, divided
1/2 cup shortening, room temperature
3 cups Confectioners’ sugar, divided
1/2 cup red sugar sprinkles
12 pretzel sticks

Make batter
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees-F. Combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt in the work bowl of a stand mixer. Stir with the paddle attachment to combine. Add 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, eggs, sour cream, and 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes until the batter is smooth. Let batter stand for 5 minutes. While batter is standing, peel and core the apples. Chop apples into a small dice. Stir apples into the batter.

Bake
Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners (red liners if available). Use an ice cream scoop to fill each cup evenly until all batter is used, cups will be full. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, until cupcakes are firm but still moist. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes to cooling rack and let cool completely before icing.

Make icing
While cupcakes are cooling, cream together remaining 1 stick butter and shortening in a large mixing bowl. Sift in 1 cup of Confectioners’ sugar and beat with a whisk until smooth. Add vanilla extract and additional 1 cup of sifted Confectioners’ sugar, whisk until smooth. Add milk and remaining sifted Confectioners’ sugar, whisk until smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 5 minutes.

Decorate and chill
Ice cupcakes, making a mound of icing in the center to shape the cupcake into an apple. Pour red sprinkles in a shallow bowl. Dip iced cupcakes into the red sprinkles to fully coat. Insert a pretzel stick into the center of each cupcake. Chill cupcakes in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serve
Remove cupcakes from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Insert mint leaves immediately before serving.

 

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2 comments to Apple Cupcakes

  • Kim

    These are so cute! Can’t wait for the recipe. Brian’s mom went apple picking so we have a ton of apples I need to do something with. I’m going to make every apple containing recipe on your web site, except the apple ice cream because I don’t have a cool ice cream maker machine.

    • andersonji

      There are a dozen or so apple recipes posted after our multiple apple picking outings last Fall. My favorite is the Apple Tart. This season I am going to try apple bread pudding and try to convince Jim to try a new version of the apple ice cream – I saw a flavor recently “Apple Pie Ice Cream.”

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