Apple Crisp Cupcakes

Ingredients  

Vanilla Cupcakes

• 1 1/2  cups  all-purpose flour   191 grams, 6.75 oz
• 1  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/4  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/4  teaspoon  fine sea salt
• 1  cup  granulated sugar   200 grams, 7.1 oz
• 1/2   cup  unsalted butter softened  113 grams, 4 oz
• 3   large eggs room temperature
• 1   teaspoon   vanilla extract
• 1/2   cup   milk room temperature  118 ml

Apple Pie Filling

• 3 1/2 cups chopped apples
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 stick of cinnamon optional
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water

Crumble Topping

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 4 tablespoons butter cold diced

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1  cup  cream cheese softened 226 grams, 8 oz
• 1/2  cup  unsalted butter softened 113 grams, 4 oz
• 4  cups  powdered sugar 510 grams 18 oz
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 1/2-1  tablespoon  of ground Ceylon cinnamon

Direction

Vanilla Cupcakes

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Line 16 cupcake tins with paper or grease with butter and flour.
2. Start by sifting the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together in a bowl. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter at medium speed, for about 1 minute.
4. Add sugar and cream for another 2 minutes, until creamy and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl if necessary.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until combined before adding the next egg.
6. Add vanilla extract and mix to combine.
7. Now it’s time to slowly add the milk. Stir to combine.
8. Add the dry ingredients and fold until incorporated.
9. Pour batter evenly onto cupcake tins, filling about 2/3 of the way.
10. Bake for about 15 minutes, rotating in between to bake evenly.
11. You may need a couple more minutes. Check if cupcakes are ready when you press it gently on top of the cupcakes and they spring back.
12. Let cupcakes cool down before filling and frosting.

Apple Pie filling

1. Place apples, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan with a stick of cinnamon (if using).
2. Cook apples over medium heat until softened, but not falling apart.
3. Depending on what kind of apple you are using, it might take less or more time to cook them. Softer apples will cook faster.
4. Remove the cinnamon stick.
5. Add brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon powder, and salt.
6. Cook for a minute to dissolve the brown sugar.
7. Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Mix to combine.
8. Add this mixture to the pan.
9. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the apple filling becomes thick.
10. Remove to a bowl. Let it cool down in the fridge all the way before using.

Crumble Topping

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
2. Mix flour with white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl.
3. Add cold butter to the mixture.
4. Incorporate the butter, using a fork, or your hands. I like to use my hands because the warmth of my hands helps the butter incorporate nicely into the dry ingredients.
5. The mixture should be like a coarse meal. You shouldn’t see pieces of butter in there, everything should be incorporated together.
6. Spread the crumbs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone mat.
7. Bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently in between, to break up the crumbs. If you let it bake without stirring, it will bake as a whole piece.
8. Also stir it when you remove it from the oven.
9. Bake until the crumbs are golden.
10. Let it cool down. Store in an air tight container for up to 5 days, at room temperature.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Start by sifting the powdered sugar with the cinnamon. Set it aside.
2. Now, cream the softened cream cheese and butter together in the bowl of an electric mixer, for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
3. Add vanilla extract. Mix to combine.
4. With the mixer off, add powdered sugar/cinnamon mixture to the bowl.
5. Turn mixer on low to incorporate the powdered sugar with the cream cheese and butter.
6. Once you see no streaks of dry powdered sugar, cream mixture on medium high for one minute.
7. This frosting will store well in the fridge for up to 5 days, covered.
8. Make sure to always leave your frosting covered. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap, because otherwise, the surface will dry out and get hard.

To Assemble

1. Use a spoon to remove the middle of the cupcakes.
2. Spoon some apple pie filling in there.
3. Frost the top of the cupcake around the middle, leaving a hole in the middle.
4. Spoon a bit more apple pie filling in the middle. Check my pictures above and my video to see how I did this.
5. Top with some of the crumble topping.

Storage

1. Store cupcakes in the fridge for up to 5 days, if they last that long.