… a kickoff recipe for the Fall season
This Friday will mark the first official day of fall and I have mixed emotions. It is my favorite season of all because I can retire my stringy teeny bikini and short shorts for skinny jeans, boots, chunky scarves and colorful cardigans. And trust me, that is the best gift of all. It is also a season for apple picking, pumpkin carving, tailgating, and of course, pie making (something I have yet to try!)
To me, the flavors of fall primarily include tart apples, tangy berries, sweet caramels and pumpkins, all blended with a variety of spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, sage and paprika. It’s the season for hearty loaves, intricate pies, fruit tarts, coffee cakes, hot apple cider and pumpkin spice donuts.
To kick the season off right, I created a cupcake resembling my favorite flavors of all--spice cake muffins stuffed with warm cinnamon apples and topped with cream cheese buttercream. Yesss pleeeasssseeee.
These cupcakes are sure to distract your mind and warm your soul as you make the chilly transition from summer to fall. Enjoy! :)
For the Apple Spice Cake
1 pkg. Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe® Spice Cake Mix
3 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/3 Cups Water
3 large cooking apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (I used Granny Smith)
¼ stick unsalted butter
Cinnamon
For the Cream Cheese Buttercream
(Recipe by Martha Stewart)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Apple Spice Cake
(1) Before you preheat the oven, you must cook the apples. To do so, melt the butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Next, place the chopped, skinless apples in the skillet and allow them to cook for 8-10 minutes, or until they are soft. *It is important to stir them constantly to ensure even cooking throughout. When they are almost done, sprinkle them with cinnamon for a little extra spice ;)
(3) Blend dry mix, water, oil and eggs in large bowl at low speed until moistened (about 30 seconds); then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes
(4) Lightly mix in the apple chunks
(6) Bake for 14-19 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool pans on wire rack for 15 minutes and then invert onto cooling rack and allow time to cool completely before frosting.
(1) Place cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until creamy, about 30 seconds
(2) With the mixer on low, slowly add sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowls as necessary
(3) Add vanilla and increase mixer speed to medium; Blend until frosting is fluffy, about 1 minute