Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cupcakes

Ingredients  

Graham Cracker Crust

• 1 cup gluten graham cracker crumbs, regular or cinnamon or substitute gluten-full graham crackers
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
• 3 tbsp packed light brown sugar

Cinnamon Apple Cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cups gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour or substitute all-purpose flour for gluten-full cupcakes
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup whole milk room temperature
• 1 large apple cored, peeled and chopped

Salted Caramel Frosting

• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 1/4 cup Crisco
• 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted
• 1/4 tsp salt sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2-3 tbsp whole milk
• assorted sprinkles optional

Direction

1. Use your hands to break graham crackers apart into largecrumbs. Then mix the crumbs, melted butter and light brown sugar in a foodprocessor until combined. The mixture will resemble coarse sand.
2. Line muffin pans with paper wrappers. This recipe yields 14-16 cupcakes so you’ll likely need two pans. Scoop 1 tbsp of the graham cracker mixture into each cup, spreading it evenly across the bottom.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C).
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and spices.
5. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sour cream and sugars until combined. Don’t worry if the batter isn’t completely smooth. Beat in the egg and then stir in the vanilla.
6. Mix in half of the flour on low speed, until just combined. Mix in the milk, followed by the remaining flour. Then fold in the chopped apples.
7. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, until each cup is almost full. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs. Leave the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Decorating the Cupcakes

1. Make the frosting while the cupcakes are cooling. Combine the butter, Crisco, brown sugar and heavy cream in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar, butter and Crisco are completely dissolved and the mixture just begins to boil.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture into a heatproof bowl. Let cool to room temperature, about an hour.
3. Sift the powdered sugar and salt while the brown sugar mixture is cooling. Then slowly mix it into the brown sugar on low speed. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, followed by 1 tablespoon of milk and the vanilla. Add the remaining sugar and 1 more tablespoon of milk. Mix on high speed until light and fluffy. Add another tablespoon of milk if needed, but do so 1 teaspoon at a time. For me, the perfect consistency is 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons of milk.
4. Pipe a rosette on top of each cooled cupcake using Wilton tip #1M, and top with sprinkles. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy!