Apple Pie Cupcakes

Fact: When I was younger I accidentally put salt in cookies instead of sugar.

Fact: I love apple pie and cupcakes equally. They're the best desserts on earth. 

Fact: I really like to cook, but baking still slightly terrifies me (see first fact).

Fact: This was the first time I made something—entirely from scratch!—all by myself in the kitchen.

Fact: I truly believe these Apple Pie Cupcakes will be waiting for me in Heaven. 

I originally posted this on my personal blog, but felt the need to share, because they're so good I wish everyone could enjoy them. 

Don't let the "apple" part of this recipe fool you; these are not—in any way, shape, or form—healthy. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm gaining weight just by ogling the picture and thinking about eating one again. Make these. Your taste buds will thank you.

Apple Pie Cupcakes 

from Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

For cupcakes:

3 cups sifted cake flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup milk

For the apple filling:

2 tbsp. butter

2 tsp. cinnamon

2-3 tbsp. sugar

3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced

For Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

from Natalie at Oven Love

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

up to 1 tablespoon cinnamon

 Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, sift cake flour, baking powder and salt. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the sides of bowl after each addition. Add vanilla extract; mix well to combine. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.

Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling about 2/3-3/4 full. Bake until golden; about 18 to 22 minutes. Remove from oven; cool for 5 minutes in pans. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely.

Apple filling: heat butter in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add cinnamon and sugar; cook for a minute, until mixture begins to bubble. Lower heat to medium; stir in the apples. Mix well. Cook until apples are somewhat tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

While apple mixture cools, use cone method to remove a chunk from center of each cupcake, leave a rim around the top of cupcake. Fill holes with cooled apple mixture. 

Frosting:

Beat butter in a stand mixer until smooth.  Add 4-5 cups confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla.  Beat until sugar disappears.  Add more sugar, by 1/2 cups, until desired consistency is reached. (For a stiff buttercream, use close to the max- 7-8 cups).  Beat in cinnamon.

Enjoy.