Salted Caramel Apple Cupcakes!
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • Salted Caramel:
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp. boiled apple cider (from King Arthur link above)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • For the Cupcakes:
  • 1⅔ AP flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • ¼ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ tsp. allspice
  • 1 stick unsalted butter room temp
  • 2 large eggs room temp
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup goat's milk kefir (can sub buttermilk)
  • ¼ cup boiled apple cider (from King Arthur)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • For the Filling:
  • 1 can apple pie filling
  • ½ tsp. of salt
  • 2 to 3 tbsp. salted caramel
  • For the Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
  • 5 egg whites
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 4 sticks unsalted butter room temp
  • ⅓ cup salted caramel
  • 1 tbsp. boiled apple cider
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • Garnish:
  • 12 Kraft caramel squares
  • Dried apple pieces
  • Salted caramel drizzle
  • Sea salt
Instructions
  1. For the Caramel:
  2. In large heavy bottom pot over medium high heat add the granulated sugar and stir constantly until completely melted. Don't walk away. Cook until it's a deep amber color, but don't let go too far. Carefully add the heavy cream while stirring. It will bubble up a lot. Stir for another minute. Remove from heat and add the salt, vanilla extract, boiled apple cider and butter. Stir until the butter is completely melted. Store in heat proof jar. Allow to cool at room temp, then can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
  3. For the Cupcakes:
  4. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with 12 liners set aside.
  5. In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients with the spices and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  6. In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sugars and continue to beat until lighter and fluffy another 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs one at at time and beat to incorporate. Next add the vanilla extract and combine. Mix in the boiled apple cider.
  7. Next add half of the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Add the kefir and mix. Last add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated and no more flour bits remain.
  8. Using a large ice cream scoop or about ⅓ cup fill each of the cupcake liners ¾ths of the way full. Smooth the tops with off-set spatula or knife. Bake for 16-18 minutes, , until toothpick inserted comes out with only a few moist crumbs on it. Let cupcakes cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes, then remove cupcakes from pan and allow them to cool completely on rack.
  9. For the filling:
  10. While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the filling. Using about a ¾ths of the apple pie filling from the can, chop the apples into small pieces and place in a bowl. Add the salt and the salted caramel and mix to combine. Set aside. You will have left overs that can be stored in airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
  11. For the Buttercream:
  12. Separate whites from yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer. Reserve yolks for another use.
  13. Pour sugar in bowl with the egg whites and add the salt.
  14. Place bowl over, not touching, a pot with simmering water.
  15. Whisk constantly until sugar has completely dissolved around 160 degrees. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can tell it’s done when you rub a little of the mixture between your fingers and it is completely smooth with no graininess. Should take about 10 minutes.
  16. Then return bowl to stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
  17. Begin beating the eggs and sugar until whites are glossy and stiff peaks have formed.
  18. The bowl should be cool to the touch, this will take around 10 minutes.
  19. Next switch to the paddle attachment and beat on medium high speed.
  20. Add the butter slowly one piece at a time to incorporate. The mixture will look like it’s curdled, keep mixing, that is normal.
  21. Mix until frosting is smooth and shiny.
  22. Add in the vanilla extract and boiled apple cider and mix to combine.
  23. Next add the caramel and mix to incorporate. Set aside.
  24. Assemble the cooled cupcakes:
  25. Using a small pairing knife cut a circle out from the top of the cupcake at a slight angle. Remove the top and cut off the excess cake and reserve the top. Repeat this process for all of the cupcakes.
  26. Next fill the cupcakes with the apple pie filling using about a teaspoon to fill each cupcake. Place the reserved tops back on top of each of the filled cupcakes.
  27. Fill a large pastry bag with tip of choice and frost each of the cupcakes. Drizzle a little more salted caramel on top to garnish with a light sprinkle of sea salt. Last place a caramel and apple chip on top to finish it off. Serve at room temp. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Can freeze in airtight container ungarnished for up to 3 months.
  28. Enjoy!!
Recipe by Social Buttercream at http://socialbuttercream.com/2020/09/26/salted-caramel-apple-cupcakes-with-caramel-buttercream-autumn-apple-awesomeness/