Fall Flavors - Apple Cider Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

I feel like I've been gushing over everything I've made recently.  The thing is, though, is that the last few recipes have been THAT GOOD!  I wish I could say I was responsible for these creations, but I must give credit to the amazing bloggers out there who are kind enough to share their creative, tasty recipes.  These cupcakes are no exception. I absolutely, positively love them.  They are the very essence of autumn with a wonderful apple flavor.  Without further ado, here is the recipe!

Apple Cider Cupcakes

by Coconut and Lime

2 eggs (at room temperature)

 1 2/3 cup flour

1 cup pasteurized apple cider

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter (at room temperature)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease or place liner in cupcake wells.  In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  

Add eggs, beat well.  Add the baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Combine ingredients, alternately adding the flour and apple cider in small increments until thoroughly combined.  Pour into prepared cupcake pan.  Fill each cup 3/4 full.  Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.  Makes about 12 cupcakes.

At this point my kitchen already smelled SO good!  One of the responsibilities of a baker is to taste test at certain intervals of the process.  You know, someone has to do it....So, I tried a cupcake and already I was in love.  I was hoping the caramel icing would compliment and enhance these cupcakes.  I set out to find the answer and gave it a try!

Caramel Frosting

by Coconut and Lime

1 cup confectioners sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter.  Next, add the milk and brown sugar.  

Obviously, I didn't read the recipe correctly, as I did not melt the butter completely before adding the milk and sugar.  In this case the icing turned out just fine, but you should always read the recipe entirely before you begin!!

Bring to a boil and continue to boil for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and whisk in 1/2 cup confectioners sugar.  Let it cool slightly, then vigorously whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners sugar.  If you have problems doing this by hand, use an electric mixer.  It is very important to whisk very quickly or frosting will not be smooth.  Frost cupcakes while the frosting is still slightly warm.  There will be enough icing for about 12 cupcakes.

This is what the finished icing looked like after beating.  I used an electric hand mixer.

When it comes to frosting with this icing you should be as quick as possible.  It begins to harden very quickly and does not have a nice finish.  Here is the progression of my icing experience:

Next time I think I would add just a touch more milk to keep it smooth.  My favorite finish is the second cupcake.  The first one settled too smoothly.  The second had a nice little flourish I think is cute.  From there the icing hardened and was not as easy to spread.  It's a bit touchy, but worth it because it's DELICIOUS!!

And so it was time for the final taste test.  Heaven.  I'm not exaggerating.  One cupcake was so fulfilling and the perfect amount of sweet after a meal.  Now, my husband did not care for the caramel icing.  It may not be for everyone, but you should definitely give it a try!  This is my new favorite treat of the season.  What is yours?

I shared this recipe with :

Autumn Leaves Are Gently Falling on Chocolate Trees!

That is, they are gently falling from chocolate trees onto plush buttercream grass!  Oh, how I love October - the changing of leaves, crisp days and nights, hats and scarves, Halloween, my birthday and, of course, new baking possibilities!  Apples, pumpkins, and cider...oh, my!  So many recipes, so little time.  Where should we start?  I say with the bright colored leaves of fall!

Awhile ago, as I always seem to be, I was browsing through fall baking ideas.  I fell in LOVE with  the chocolate trees I found here.  All you need is chocolate and Autumn Leaves Quins...which, as it turns out, are not so easy to find.  Eventually, I ordered them from Amazon.com.  They took a bit of time to arrive, but when they did I was hardly able to contain myself.  I baked up some cupcakes immediately, melted the chocolate, placed waxed paper on the counter (any flat surface will do), and started on the trees.

Once you have melted the chocolate, pour it into a plastic pastry bag or Ziploc baggie.  Cut the end (or corner of the bag if using a Ziploc) off a little at a time.  You can always make a bigger whole, but cannot make it smaller!  I learned this the hard way when I cut too much off the end and had a flood of chocolate flowing everywhere.  Next time, I will use a funnel to pour the chocolate into a squeeze bottle for more control over the flow.  I'm still orienting myself with pastry bags in general!

Make the rough shape of a tree and a few branches on the waxed paper:

Next, take a toothpick to make a thicker trunk and whimsical branches.  Be sure to use enough chocolate to make a sturdy tree trunk because you want the tree to be strong enough to stand on it's own once placed in the cupcake.  Also, do not worry about smoothing the chocolate perfectly.  The swirls and texture will make the hardened chocolate look more tree-like.

While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle some of the Autumn Leaves quins on the branches.  Work on one tree at a time.  The leaves will stay on the branches nicely once the chocolate hardens.

While the trees are setting, approximately 10-15 minutes, begin frosting the cupcakes.  I mixed up some buttercream icing, but you can use canned frosting if you prefer.  Dye the icing green using gel or liquid dye.  You can spread the icing on the cupcake as your normally would, but I bought an icing tip shaped to create the effect of grass (as well as many other things).

Once the cupcakes are frosted, carefully peel a chocolate tree off of the wax paper.  Start with the trunk and work your way up.  Go slowly, especially with the branches, and there should be no breakage.  Look at how lovely the leaves look!

After you've lifted the tree, push it into the center of an iced cupcake.  Repeat this process until you have created an entire forest.  The result is magical!  Wouldn't these be cute at place settings on a Holiday table?

HAPPY FALL  EVERYONE!!!