Apple Spice Cupcakes With Walnuts And Blue Cheese Food

APPLE SPICE CUPCAKES WITH SALTED CARAMEL FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2 liners - this recipe makes about 14 cupcakes. Set aside.
• Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together in a medium bowl until combined. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until smooth then whisk in the vanilla extract and milk. Set aside.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir gently until combined. The batter will have a few lumps. Fold in the apples.
• Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full with batter. Bake for 21-23 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean when done. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
• While the cupcakes are cooling, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add brown sugar and 2 Tablespoons of heavy cream. Whisk constantly until sugar has dissolved. Whisk in the salt, then stop whisking as mixture begins to simmer. Simmer without stirring for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 30 minutes. With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat in 2 cups confectioners' sugar and the remaining heavy cream. Slowly add 1/2 - 1 cup more confectioners' sugar until you reach your desired thickness. Add a little cream or milk if you find the frosting too thick. Frost cooled cupcakes and drizzle with salted caramel, if desired.
• Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

BLUE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Use a 24 socket cupcake pan and line with paper liners. Set the pan aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• In a liquid measure, mix together the blueberry puree and buttermilk.
• In a large bowl of an electric stand mixer using a paddle attachment, combine the butter and granulated sugar, mixing until blended. Add the eggs and egg yolks and beat on low speed until all the ingredients are smooth and blended.
• Decrease the speed of the mixer to slow and add one-fourth of the dry ingredients. Mix for 1 minute, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. In two separate additions, add the liquid mixture to the batter, beating for 30 seconds after each addition, alternating with the dry ingredients, ending with the dry ingredients. Divide the batter evenly into the prepared cupcake liners and bake on the center rack until a cake tester inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool the cakes completely on wire racks, about 30 minutes.
• For the blueberry caramel: Heat together the sugar and 1/4 cup water, cooking until a medium caramel stage. Slowly add the blueberry puree, lemon juice and salt. Continue to cook together until smooth.
• For the blue Devonshire cream: Mix together the cream cheese with the granulated sugar and salt with the paddle attachment in an electric mixer. Once thoroughly combined, slowly add the heavy cream. Continue to mix until evenly distributed and fluffy. Fold in the bleu cheese crumbles.
• For the blue agave icing: Mix together the butter, powdered sugar and salt with the paddle attachment in an electric mixer. Once thoroughly combined, slowly add the blue agave nectar. Continue to mix until evenly distributed and smooth.
• For the bleu cheese brulee: Place the bleu cheese crumbles into the freezer for about 10 minutes. Remove from the freezer, and, working on a metal surface, generously cover with sugar. Using a blow torch, quickly brulee the tops of each bleu cheese crumble. Allow to come to room temperature.
• To assemble: Core each cupcake and drizzle a teaspoon of the blueberry caramel into the core. Generously fill each cupcake with the bleu Devonshire cream. Using a round tip and pastry bag, ice each cupcake with blue agave icing, encasing the generous amount of Devonshire cream, creating a combination of shells on top. Use blueberry caramel as a drizzle on top of cupcakes and place a bleu cheese brulee as garnish on top.

APPLE SPICE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the cake mix, water, eggs and applesauce on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. , Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until smooth. Stir in food coloring. , Frost tops of cupcakes. Insert licorice into centers for apple stems. Cut gumdrops in half; flatten and pinch to form leaves. Place one leaf next to each stem.

SPICED APPLE-WALNUT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING

Steps:

• For the cake: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally butter and flour a 10-inch fluted tube or Bundt pan. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix together the apples, maple syrup, eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. In batches, mix the dry ingredients into the apple mixture. Stir in the walnuts. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a cake tester or skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes and invert onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
• For the icing: In a food processor, combine the powdered sugar, heavy cream, cream cheese, 3 tablespoons water, and vanilla. Process until smooth, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the icing is pourable. Spoon the icing over the cake and allow to set for 20 minutes before slicing.

GLUTEN-FREE APPLE SPICE CUPCAKES WITH MAPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING AND CANDIED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place Reynolds Baking Cup in each of 16 regular-size muffin cups. In large bowl, beat cake mix, cinnamon, nutmeg, water, 1/2 cup butter, the vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in chopped apple. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
• Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cream cheese and maple syrup with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add powdered sugar; beat until smooth. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with glazed walnuts. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.