Caramel Apple Cupcakes Caramel Frosting

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
• Line Cupcake Pan with Papers

CUPCAKES:

• Put the Butter and Sugars in the bowl of a Stand Mixer.... beat until fluffy... could take a few minutes (go get the mail, start a pot of coffee, yell at the kids for leaving their shoes for you to trip over for the 100th time)
• Add the Eggs one at a time... beat and scrape between each addition.
• In the measuring cup, mix together the dry ingredients... flour, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves.
• Add the Flour Mixture to the Butter/Egg mixture...ALTERNATE adding in the Apple Sauce... so, add 1/3 flour..then 1/2 apple sauce..1/3 flour..1/2 apple sauce..rest of flour. (Whatever you do, don't dump the flour in all at once. Unless you are planning to be a ghost for Halloween.)
• Mix to combined, scrape the sides, mix again .... STOP.
• **Optional - Fold in the peeled, diced Granny Smith (or other sour apple). I like it this way, gives it an extra burst of apple, but some kids don't like "funny stuff" in their cupcakes.... sigh... tell them it's witch boogers or something...
• Scoop the Batter into the Cupcake Papers...I have been using an ice cream scoop for this. I used to scoff at people who did this... but it really works! I scoff no more.....
• DON"T FILL MORE THAN 3/4 full. I know it's tempting... but it's just not a good idea. Overflow..mess... destruction (not as bad as Godzilla... but you get my drift)
• Bake for 20 minutes. (read a magazine, think about how wonderful your life would be on a Tropical Island somewhere, search for someone's soccer cleats that they SWEAR were right here in front of the door a minute ago)
• They are done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Cool on a rack.... don't frost before they cool... it will melt....

FROSTING:

• This is a dead easy frosting (aren't you loving all of these Halloween allusions?)
• Put 1 cup of softened butter in the mixer with a whisk attachment.
• Turn it on low.
• Slowly add the sugar a bit at a time (Why? read the bit about the flour above... and sugar is WAY more sticky)
• As it starts to get stiff, slowly add in the caramel sauce.
• Turn up the speed
• Add more sugar.. and more caramel... until it's all in
• Whisk until light and fluffy.
• If it's too stiff? Add more caramel
• If it's too soft? Add more powdered sugar
• If you stick your finger in it while the machine is going? My sympathies... get a band aid before you really do have a gory cupcake
• Put the frosting in a piping bag with a big tip if you have one... and frost away.
• If you don't have a piping bag? Just schmear it on with a knife...it'll be fine

TOPPING:

• Using a spoon, or a bag with the corner clipped off, drizzle a little caramel in a swirl pattern across the top of the frosting.