Caramel spiced apple cupcakes
MAKES 22 TO 24 CUPCAKES
24 paper liners for cupcake pans
(2½-inch size)
1 (14.5-ounce) jar red spiced
apple rings, drained
1 (18.25-ounce) package
plain yellow cake mix
1 (3.4-ounce) package vanilla
instant pudding mix
¾ cup water
½ cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
45 to 50 caramels (from a
14-ounce bag)
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup unsalted peanuts, chopped
24 wooden craft sticks (optional)
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.
Prepare the cupcake batter: Place the drained apple rings in the food processor and in an on-off pulse, finely chop them, 15 seconds.
Place the cake mix, pudding mix, chopped apple rings, water, oil and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look well combined. Spoon or scoop ?206-140? cup batter into each lined muffin cup, filling it 2/3 full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.)
Place the pans side by side in the oven. Bake the cupcakes until they are golden and the top springs back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 20 minutes.
Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners, lift the cupcakes up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before glazing.
Meanwhile, prepare the caramel glaze: Unwrap the caramels and place them in a medium-size saucepan. Add the evaporated milk. Stir with a wooden spoon over medium heat until all the caramels are melted, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the vanilla.
Immediately spoon the warm caramel glaze over the top of each cooled cupcake and sprinkle the chopped peanuts around the edges.
Push a craft stick in the center of each cupcake, if desired. The cupcakes are ready to serve.
Prep time: 25 minutes
Baking time: 18 to 20 minutes
Nutrition facts per serving: 279 calories, 11 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 31 mg cholesterol, 41 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 292 mg sodium, 0 g fiber
