Chocolate Apple Cupcakes

So I keep seeing everything for fall popping up more and more every day. Even in my own kitchen I've noticed that we've shifted from the bbq outside every night to the heartier warmer meals of Autumn. I've been canning jam and potatoes and hopefully pumpkin soon.  So I got thinking, with all the changes going on what says Fall more than caramel apples. I've been really wanting to attempt a salted caramel for a while. So I buckled down and said okay "let's do it!"

Now if you know me you know that come Christmas I usually make "Gourmet" Caramel Apples. And by "Gourmet" I mean the big chocolate and topping covered caramel apples you see in specialty stores and at the fair. Their super simple and easy to make but I wanted to try something different. So we did Chocolate Apple cupcakes with Caramel buttercream and Caramel sauce.

 Of course my "choco-holic" son was in sneaking bits of cake batter and wouldn't wait for them to be frosted but these melt in your mouth cupcakes were fun to make, even if I did stress about the caramel the whole time.

All you need to make them is

1 box chocolate cake mix and ingredients listed on box.
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2-3 small or medium granny smith apples peeled cored and diced


For the frosting
1 cup shortening
1 lb powdered sugar
2 tsp butter flavoring
2 Tbsp meringue powder
2-4 Tbsp water.
3/4 cup caramel sauce

For the Caramel Sauce
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup cream
1 tsp salt

Mix up the cake mix as directed on the box adding the spices and apples then bake as directed.  When they are done let them cool to room temp.  I made my Buttercream using a recipe I had memorized but if you have a favorite recipe I suggest using that. You want to leave your frosting really stiff so that when you add the caramel you don't end up with soup. Only add enough water to pull your frosting together for you.

Now remember this was my first attempt at Caramel Sauce. Again if you have a recipe you prefer by all means use it!   I added my sugar and water to a saucepan and swirled them together to get them mixed together. Then I turned the heat on med- med-high and let it go. It took a while but slowly the sugar dissolved and started to brown. ** I did not stir the sauce. Occassionally I would swirl the pot not often** When it reached that nice amber caramel color I pulled it off the heat and added the butter. **This is when I whisked the sauce** Whisk the butter and salt into the sauce until smooth, it does bubble up a lot and get thick but keep whisking it will liquify again. Then whisk in the cream. I immediatly poured it into a glass  measuring cup and set it aside to cool for a minute. Be sure to watch the pot, it turns really fast!! Within a second it can burn!!

After the caramel had cooled to the point it wouldn't melt my frosting I added  about 3/4 cup of the sauce to the frosting and mixed it well. Then I frosted the cakes and drizzled the remaining sauce over the top.

The chocolate is sweet, the apples a little sour and the caramel a bit salty! The perfect combination! Hope you enjoy!!