Apple Pie Cupcakes

Mason is on this apple kick.

Like, two apples a day kind of kick.

And his interest has peaked mine

to re-think Apple Cupcakes.

There are so many different recipes

out there in bloggy world ... 

my biggest challenge was 

creating something unique.

My favorite part of 

a pie is the crust!

So, I wanted there to be a little

in each bite.

This, my friends, is how they turned out:

Warm spice cake with pie crust bits baked in and a cinnamon-apple filling. The cupcake is topped with crunchy pie crust bits and vanilla spice cream cheese frosting "ice cream."

This cupcake

BURSTS

with american apple pie flavor

and is cute-as-a-button to boot!

Ingredients
Refrigerated Pie Crust
2 tbsp. White Sugar
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

2 Green Apples, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup White Raisins or Dried Cranberries {optional}
3 tbsp. Butter
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
Juice from 1 Lemon
1/2 tsp. Apple Pie Spice
1/8 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 tbsp. Cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp. Water

2 1/2 cup Flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Ground Ginger
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Allspice
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 stick Butter, room temp.
1 1/4 cups of Light Brown Sugar, packed
3 Large Eggs
1 1/4 cup Buttermilk
1 Vanilla Bean, split to expose insides

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Break pieces of the pie crust off and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake for 8 minutes, or until golden. Set aside.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add apples {and raisins, if using} and cook for 1 minute. Add sugar, lemon juice and seasonings and coat apples.  Let apples cook on low until tender - add cornstarch/water mixture and stir in immediately. When thickened, pull off of heat and set aside to cool.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl for the cupcakes and set aside. Cream butter and sugar with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer until light and fluffy - add eggs one at the time until combined. Alternating the dry ingredients with the buttermilk, slowly add both to egg mixture. Once the batter forms, add the insides of the split vanilla bean and the baked pie crust pieces. Spoon batter into muffin cups, 1/2-3/4 full. Dollop a tbsp. amount of pie filling in the center of each. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until the cake has set. Let cool on a wire rack.

To finish, I dolloped a "scoop" of my favorite vanilla cream cheese frosting with a dusting of cinnamon on top and more crumbled pie crust. This recipe makes 24 mini cakes.

These are truly an Apple Pie

in CUPCAKE form!

Mmm, mmm! 

The cake is super spicy.

The filling is sticky and juicy.

The frosting is light and sweet.

And, the pie crust gives the cupcakes a perfect crunch.

Move ova Apple Pie -

there's a new kid in town

and he ROCKS!

PS: These pictures were taken with my NEW camera!! Whoop, Whoop!! :)

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