Apple Spice Cupcakes w/ Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

I think of all the time I spend in the kitchen, baking is my favorite task. I find it so therapeutic measuring flour, the smells of something sweet baking in the oven and the lack of stress that can sometimes come with cooking dinner because we are all starving and have the shakes.

And plus, we all just need to devour a cupcake or brownie every now and then to make life better! : )

But we all know that despite my most inner desires to eat cake (or some sweet treat) like.every.day. it is something that I only enjoy about once or twice a month (keeping a pan of brownies in my kitchen is a very. Very. Bad thing. (Bad for my thighs not my taste buds and mental well-being!).

So every time I have the opportunity to make a sweet treat for a get together or birthday party I am all over it! Giving me the opportunity to spend some therapeutic time in the kitchen and whip up all the desserts I dream about.

My good friend V’s birthday was yesterday and since her birthday conveniently falls right around the start of the perfect season called, Autumn, she always gets a pumpkin or apple treat for her birthday cake. Good thing she loves these classic fall flavors!

This year she got apple.

I had so much fun playing in the kitchen whipping up these cupcakes!

A perfectly spiced apple cupcake that is light and fluffy in texture and then topped with a rich and creamy, brown sugar cream cheese frosting that has a wonderful caramel-y taste. These divine cupcakes are hands down some of the most perfect cupcakes I have enjoyed in a while and there wasn’t a single one left at V’s surprise birthday party!

It was a total birthday success!

One Year Ago: Magazine Review: Taste of South
Two Years Ago: Week of:
Summer Recipes
Three Years Ago: Eric’s
Yellow Rice Dinner

Apple Spice Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

By Heather of Kitchen Concoctions: www.kitchen-concoctions.com

Printable Version

Prep Time: 25-30 minutes Bake Time: 15-18 minutes Makes: 20-22 cupcakes

Apple Spice Cupcakes:

¼ cup butter, softened

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup white sugar

2 eggs

½ cup applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ¼ cups flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon all spice

2 medium/large apples, cored, peeled and grated

Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup brown sugar

1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar

Walnuts, chopped, optional for garnish

For cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and both sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until well blended. Mix in applesauce and vanilla.

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off. In a separate medium sized bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices; mix well.

Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients; mixing at low speed until well blended. Beat at medium speed 1 minute. Stir in grated apples.

Spoon cupcake batter into prepared muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool completely and frost with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting. Top with chopped walnuts, if desired.

For frosting:

In a large bowl, cream together cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Mix in brown sugar mixing until well blended. Add confectioner’s sugar, mixing until blended.