These were so awesome! I saw a recipe online for a similar cupcake but I didn't like the cupcake recipe (HOW MANY sticks of butter?!?!?!) So I came up with my own version with less butter and more fluffiness..
Here's what you need:
Apple Topping: 2TBS butter, 1/4 cp sugar, 2 apples peeled, cored, sliced thin.
Cupcake:
1&1/4 cp flour
1&1/2 tsp baking powder
1tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cp sugar
6TBS (3/4 stick) butter
1 egg + 1 egg white
1tsp lemon extract or lemon juice
1tsp vanilla
1/2 cp milk
Frosting:
1/2 can of store bought cream cheese frosting
cinnamon to taste
Melt the butter in a frying pan over low-medium heat and stir in the sugar until dissolved. Add the apple slices and fry until the apples are lightly carmelized and soft (7-8 min) Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 F
Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together in a medium bowl.
Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs, lemon, and vanilla and beat until well blended.
Add the flour mixture and milk. Beat on med/high speed just until all the flour is mixed in. Do not over mix.
Put cupcake liners in cupcake pan and fill each one 3/4 of the way with batter. Top with apple slices. Bake 18-20 min. or until golden brown and the cake bounces back when touched.
Cool in pan 5 min. and then on wire rack. *Cupcakes must be completely cooled before frosting or the frosting will melt- you don't want that!
I totally cheated on the frosting and bought a can of cream cheese frosting that I stirred cinnamon into before frosting the cupcakes.
Enjoy with a nice warm mug of cider next to a warm fire.
