Mini cupcakes are one of my favorite treats to make. I love their bite size and the adorable ways you can decorate them. To celebrate the coming of fall and the back-to-school season, I whipped up these fun apple cupcakes using apples from my grandmother’s farm.
Apple Cupcakes
Author: Rachel Beyer
Type: Dessert
Adapted from Martha Stewart.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups coarsely shredded apples
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two mini cupcake pans with paper liners (I’d also recommend making some regular size cupcakes as well, otherwise you will have millions of minis!).
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Using am electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla.
- Reduce speed to low; mix in apples. Then slowly add in the flour mixture until just combined.
- Fill lined cupcakes halfway with batter; bake until tops are springy to the touch (12-15 minutes for mini cupcakes, 18-20 minutes for regular cupcakes). Remove from pans and let cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting & Decoration
Author: Rachel Beyer
Type: Dessert
Ingredients
- 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Red gel food coloring
- Pretzel sticks
- Lime fruit slice candy
Instructions
- Beat cream cheese in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle until smooth; scrape down sides of bowl. Add butter; mix, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually mix in confectioners' sugar; add vanilla. Mix until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Slowly mix in red gel food coloring until you achieve your desired red color. Frost cupcakes.
- Use a knife to cut the lime candies into small leaf shapes. Break the pretzel sticks in half and press one stick into the center of each frosted cupcake to make an apple stem. Garnish with a lime candy leaf.
I packaged up my mini apple cupcakes individually using flower clasp boxes with labels and tags in the new style, Doodle. These will make the perfect treats for kids to take to school and pass out to their friends and teachers!
Used In This Project:
- Flower Clasp Boxes • I chose the kraft color.
- Square Labels • I chose the “Doodle” style in aruba and sky blue.
- Oval Hang Tags • I chose the “Doodle” style in aruba and sky blue.
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Rachel Beyer is an artist, designer and creative maker based in Portland, OR. She loves crafting, party planning and illustration. Rachel runs her own creative blog, Adventures In Making and also has a line of greeting cards, art prints and handmade goodies called Camp Smartypants.
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