Roasted Apple Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

For someone who isn't a huge fan of cupcakes I sure do post a lot of cupcake recipes.  I take pride in being a walking contradiction.  I wonder what a walking contradiction would look like?  I feel like he would be wearing flip flops and and suit...just saying.

This recipe was recently posted on Smitten Kitchen.  I really like her recipes, but she makes them so long and complicated looking.  I like to shorten the words and make it look way more doable and less intimidating.  The recipe was originally a cake, but I shrunk it into cupcakes and used a different frosting recipe...because nothing goes better with apples than caramel!

In other news my niece and I have begun planning for her Halloween costume.  I asked her what she wanted to be this year and was shocked when she said "The Mad Hatter, but the girl one."  Super stoked to make this costume!  Of course she already started nagging me about it and will probably do so until we make it.  Hopefully it will turn out as awesome as we are planning it too!

This is what we are aiming for...so...we will see how it turns out!!!

What was or is your all-time favorite Halloween costume?  My list is pretty lame and typical - probably the standard kid's list.

Clown - about a million times, Angel, Mary the Mother of God, Soccer Player, Princess, Ballerina, One of the Three Musketeers, The Ice Queen, Storm from X-men, One of the Three Blind Mice...and I think that about sums it up.

This year I am hosting a Mystery Dinner Halloween Party - all with Characters from the 1920's. 
CAN'T WAIT!  IT IS GOING TO BE AWESOME!

Do you have any fun Halloween plans or traditions?  Let me know!

Roasted Apple Cupcakes 

with Salted Caramel Frosting

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

3 medium apples, any variety you like to bake with, peeled, quartered and cored

Place the prepared apples on a parchment lined pan and bake in 375°F oven until slightly browned about 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.  Then chop up into bite sized pieces. 

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.  Line muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the following and set aside:

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 TBS baking powder

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

In a separate small bowl whisk together the following and set aside:

3/4 cup honey

2 1/4 cup applesauce

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter brown sugar until very fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl between every other addition.

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup dark-brown sugar (or light brown + 1 TBS of molasses)

3 large eggs

Add the honey/applesauce mixture and mix until combined.  The batter might look broken at this point because of the high water content (from the applesauce)- no worries just keep going.  Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.  Then fold in the chopped roasted apples.   stirring between each addition.  Fill each muffin liner about 3/4 full.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes until tops spring back when lightly touched and toothpick comes out clean.  Set aside and cool completely before frosting.  

Salted Caramel Frosting 

adapted from Carla's Confections Blog

 Place the following in a small saucepan and cook over medium/high heat:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 TBSP Water

Stir just a little to get the mixture going.  Bring to a boil and stop stirring.  Continue cooking until mixture turns a nice caramel color - about 7 minutes.  Keep a close watch on this as it will be white and then quickly turn brown and burn if you don't watch it.  Make sure it turns a golden brown color, and doesn't smell burnt.  If it does smell burnt you cooked it too long.  Just start over.  Once caramel color is obtained remove from heat and stir in cream and vanilla.

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tsp vanilla

Let cool for 30 minutes.  In separate bowl cream butter and salt until fluffy.

1 1/2 cups of butter, softened

1/4 tsp sea salt or kosher salt

Then add the following and mix until smooth and fully combined:

4 cups powdered sugar

Slowly add in the cooled caramel mixture and mix until combined.

Frost cooled cupcakes!

Make these cupcakes, listen to this song, make your Halloween costume and eat your heart out!

Dagny