Cupcakes!

Okay everyone loves cupcakes...I don't care who you are. They are like a small piece of heaven that you can eat! I've made all kinds of crazy flavors like strawberry cheesecake, Reese's peanut butter cup, and even apple pie! (which happens to be one of my favorites)

Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

I can't explain how I feel when I'm baking cupcakes, I don't make cupcakes from a box (no offense to anyone that does) so starting with nothing and ending up with a beautiful cupcake is so rewarding. It calms me down and I get to throw myself into the creation of something not only delicious by beautiful too. Decorating them has to be my favorite part though! It's like a blank canvas, and you can make it into anything you want....and it doesn't hurt that you can eat too!

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Chocolate Garden Cupcakes (Took 6 hours!)

And since it's Fall (one of my favorite seasons) I'm going to put up my famous Apple Pie Cupcake Recipe so everyone can enjoy them!

Apple Pie Cupcakes:

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

1 cup milk

1 stick unsalted butter

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Filling:

5 granny smith apples (peeled, cored, and diced)

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons butter

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

Frosting:

5 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

Milk (add 1 teaspoon at a time until you reach the consistency you want)

2/3 cup butter softened 

1 vanilla bean

Granny Smith Apples

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pan with paper liners. 

Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until melted, set aside. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, set aside.

Beat eggs and sugar for 5 minutes with electric mixer. Add flour mixture and beat on low just until blended. 

Add milk and vanilla until blended.

Divide evenly in tins. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes and transfer to cooling racks. Cut centers out of cupcakes.

For filling mix all ingredients except butter in a medium bowl. 

Put mixture over medium-low heat in a saucepan with butter. Toss, and stir occasionally. After about 2 minutes cover and let cook for about 2-3 minutes or until tender. (It's ok for filling to be gooey)

Set aside to cool. Spoon filling into center of cupcakes.

For frosting beat butter and sugar together. Add vanilla, vanilla bean, and milk.

Tip: When using whole vanilla beans cut bean in half lengthwise and use knife to scrape seeds out.

Frost cupcakes once cupcakes are cooled. Sprinkle with cinnamon.