Caramel Apple PI Cupcakes
March 14, 2009 at 4:37 PM | Posted in cupcakes | 39 CommentsTags: caramel apple, pi, pie
Happy PI Day fellow cupcake-ers!
March 14th. As in 3.14! How cool is that?
You know what’s even cooler?
I know PI to the 12th decimal. By heart. 3.141592653589…
(My calculus teacher, Mr. K would be so proud!)
Ok you’d probably have to be a math nerd to fully appreciate the decimal thing. But just take my word for it. It’s pretty darn cool. Actually you wish you were that cool.
I think you have to be a little bit of a nerd to enjoy baking. Baking is such a precise craft that requires measuring and combining a perfect ratio of ingredients to create something delicious. Don’t get me wrong though. I like cooking but I LOVE baking!
Ironically I am not a big pie person.
I wouldn’t say I hate pie. Hate is such an extreme word. I only reserve that for my dentist. (Sorry Dr. C! It’s not you, it’s the drills, cottonmouth and saliva sucker thingamajigger!) I am just not fond of pie. I’d rather have cake than pie. If you ask me why, I really couldn’t tell you. Pie crust good. Fruit filling (depending on the fruit) good. Whipped cream and/or ice cream good. But I don’t crave pie. I do crave cake. Like a fat kid.
What can I say? I am a PI loving nerd that doesn’t like pie. Go figure!
Recipe adapted from Food Network & Cupcakes by Shelly Kaldunski
Makes about 12 cupcakes
INGREDIENTS
For cupcakes
1-1/4 cups AP flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
6 tbsp butter, room temperature
1 large egg + 1 egg white, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract (I used Lorann butter-vanilla emulsion instead)
1/2 cup milk (I used half-and-half instead)
For caramel apple filling
4 apples (I used Granny Smith)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 cup AP flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (I used Lorann butter-vanilla emulsion instead)
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
For whipped cream
1-1/2 cups whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp granulated sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
To make cupcakes—
Preheat oven to 350F.
Line cupcake pan with paper liners.
In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a stand mixer, fitted with flat beater, beat the sugar and butter until well combined, about 2-3 minutes. Add egg and egg white, one at a time, beating on low.
Then add vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk in 2 additions, ending with the flour mixture.
Fill cupcake liners about 1/2-2/3 full. Bake for about 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
To make filling—
Peel and slice apples into small bite size chunks. Pour lemon juice over apples so they don’t brown. Combine dry ingredients with apples. Toss to coat. Add vanilla and cream. Melt butter in heavy skillet on medium-low heat. Add apple mixture and cook about 7-8 minutes, to soften apples.
To make whipped cream—
Place the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whisk together on low until stiff peaks are formed. Change to medium speed and whisk until thick.
To assemble cupcakes—
Remove the center of each cupcake using the cone method. Fill the cupcake with about 1 tbsp+ caramel apple filling. Top with whipped cream.
[NOTES: My revised cone method is to use a cookie cutter to push halfway down into the cupcake as a template and then use a knife/spoon to "dig" the cone out.]
ENJOY!
Husband rating: A
He loves pie. His favorite pie is a tie between apple or blueberry pie. But he is more of a filling fan than the pie crust so he totally loved this cupcake. I think this is probably his favorite cupcake besides red velvet. Nothing is better than red velvet, he says…
Wifey rating: A/A+
I love the caramel apple filling with a simple vanilla cupcake. Now this is my kind of pie! The whipped cream was yummy and I also ate my cupcake with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. HEAVENLY!
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Wow – that looks yummy – I am so craving apple pie now. I think I can smell the apple pie filling just by looking at the pictures!
Comment by SweetThingsTO— March 14, 2009 #
I have to admit that the caramel apple filling was SO delicious. My apt still smells like caramel, apples and cinnamon. Yum!
Comment by CB— March 14, 2009 #
Happy Pi Day to you too! I got some pretty crazy looks yesterday at work when I exclaimed that today would be Pi Day :) Guess not everyone appreciates nerdy things like we do!
Comment by Dorothy— March 14, 2009 #
Screw all the non-nerds who gave you crazy looks. Nerds rule the world.
Comment by CB— March 14, 2009 #
I actually stayed up till 1:59 in the morning to celebrate! Good for you remembering the first 12 decimals of pi! I am trying to memorize the first 18 for this song.
Comment by Alyssa— March 14, 2009 #
18 for a song? What song? My limit is 12. haha
Comment by CB— March 14, 2009 #
Happy Pi Day! Your cupcakes look wonderful. I made something similar once and they weren’t anywhere near as pretty! I really need to try your revised cone method. My method with a paring knife yielded some really unattractive results :)
Comment by Tracey— March 14, 2009 #
You made apple pie cupcakes? Oooh I’ll have to check out your blog to compare our recipes. I like using my cookie cutter as a “cut on the dotted line” kind of guide. When I do it free hand… it’s not pretty. HAHA
Comment by CB— March 14, 2009 #
Happy Pi Day! I must admit, I like pie better, but I always end up baking cakes instead. Go figure!
Comment by Caitlin— March 14, 2009 #
Opposites attract right? I guess I still love you even though you don’t like cake (blasphemy!!).
Comment by CB— March 14, 2009 #
These are so precious! I’m a cake girl myself–and a math nerd at heart. I can’t wait to try these “apple pi’s”!! Great job, great way to celebrate such an awesome holiday.
Comment by Elyse— March 14, 2009 #
Holla to my fellow cake+math nerd friend! If you make them, let me know what you think! I love hearing reviews.
Comment by CB— March 14, 2009 #
yum!! these probably taste like pie but they’re way more fun to eat.
Comment by Sophie— March 14, 2009 #
They tasted BETTER than pie IMHO! hehe.
Comment by CB— March 14, 2009 #
I think I’m the only baker who didn’t make pie today, but instead made cupcakes. But I go against the grain – I’m a rebel! How cute that you combined cake and pie.
Comment by Tanya— March 14, 2009 #
I made cupcakes and tart (jury is out on if a tart is a pie though). Nothing wrong with making cupcakes on PI day. I think celebrating with something “round” works too!
Comment by CB— March 14, 2009 #
Wow, those look AMAZING. Now I’m craving some apple pie…
Comment by J— March 15, 2009 #
Thank you! I am not a huge fan of apple pie but OMG that caramel apple filling is AH-MAZING. I won’t lie.
Comment by CB— March 15, 2009 #
I’m forwarding this to my mom. She was lamenting not having a classroom of her own to celebrate Pi Day with this year. When she taught math she did a whole lesson on Pi for Pi Day. I’m not a big Pie fan, or a bit Pi fan since math & I don’t get along very well.
Comment by zebe912— March 15, 2009 #
How fun is that? If I were a math teacher I would totally celebrate PI day with a potluck with my class. Hope my cupcakes make your mom smile.
Comment by CB— March 15, 2009 #
These look so good! I am definitely going to have to make these. I love anything with apples and caramel.
Comment by Erin— March 15, 2009 #
Oh you will totally love this if you love cupcakes, caramel and apples. Heck I could probably have added some caramel ice cream topping for EVEN MORE caramel too! I am a caramel addict!
Comment by CB— March 15, 2009 #
I was watching QVC tonight and came across the cutest mold for GIANT cupcakes and thought of you. If you are interested the link is http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.K13943.desc.Wilton-Cast-Aluminum-Giant-Cupcake-Pan They had some great ideas for how to use the GIANT cupcake for parties and events.
Comment by Sandra— March 15, 2009 #
Thanks for thinking of me! I’ve had that giant cupcake pan on my wish list for a while. I’ll have to see if I can find that QVC episode b/c I want to see all their cute ideas!
Comment by CB— March 16, 2009 #
What a totally fun idea!!! Being a nerd is cool :) Hooray for nerds!!
Comment by stephchows— March 16, 2009 #
Nerds rule! Maybe that’s why Revenge of the Nerds was/is one of my favorite movies. Gotta love a character named Booger. haha.
Comment by CB— March 16, 2009 #
OMG, they look luscious…
Comment by Virginia— March 17, 2009 #
I was drooling so much over these beauties, that I forgot to ask:
Did you use a paper cupcake liner inside the aluminum liner? or did you just use the aluminum liner?
I am definitly going to make these.
Comment by Virginia— March 17, 2009 #
I don’t use the paper liner. Just the foil liner. I save the paper liner to use for other cupcakes. Kind of like a 2-for-1 deal. ;) Let me know what you think if you make my cupcakes!
Comment by CB— March 17, 2009 #
Love the step by step photos as always. Made some of your cupcakes recently and need to post them. These look awesome!
Comment by mermaidsweets— March 17, 2009 #
Ooohhh which ones did you make? I’d love to hear/see!
Comment by CB— March 18, 2009 #
O
M
G
these look uber killer clara!!! i *HEART* cupcakes & i *HEART* me some pie, so these look heavenly!!!
but now i must curse you for single handedly killing my diet!
*&^^%$#@$%%^&&*&@#! (tee hee)
thanks for the inspiration as always!
xo
Comment by Lauren— March 18, 2009 #
Ooohhh yeah. I do not recommend my blog if you are on a diet. haha. Sorry!!
Comment by CB— March 18, 2009 #
I’m appled out these days, but I love the pie in cupcake idea. I’m thinking blueberry or cherry. Mmm… I’ll let you know if I end up doing it. :)
Comment by Amanda— March 24, 2009 #
Ooohh i bet a blueberry or cherry version would be yummy too. Definitely let me know if you try out your variation!
Comment by CB— March 24, 2009 #
these look and sound amazing! i’m wondering would this recipe work for mini cupcakes as well? i’m trying to figure out if it would be harder to add the filling to them.
Comment by Lina— March 3, 2010 #
I think it could work but you’d probably wanna cut the apple into really small pieces or you might not be able to fit much filling in each cupcake. If you make it, let me know how it worked out!
Comment by CB— March 3, 2010 #
so i made the mini ones today an they are DELICIOUS! i just cut the apples into tiny bits and used a little less that two apples. the cupcake recipe yielded about 40 mini cupcakes. i also saved my extra filling and cupcake centers and just made a little dessert with those! thanks again for this recipe!
Comment by Lina— March 4, 2010 #
Hurray! So glad they worked out for you. Great idea using the leftovers for another dessert :)
Comment by CB— March 5, 2010 #