Apple and Cinnamon Cupcakes with Caramel Cream Cheese Icing

Today I re-entered the baking world... with a bang...

I woke up today dying to make something awesome.
Something that would make all my people at work say "oh Carly!!! We're so glad you started baking again!!!
(cos lets face it... it's all about me...)...

I'd had a recent request for apple and cinnamon muffins. How could we make this into a mind blowing come back???

These are the answer....

Mini Apple and Cinnamon Cupcakes with Caramel Cream Cheese Icing

Makes approx 40 mini cupcakes

1 1/4 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup of brown sugar (pack it in)
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 granny smith apples, peeled and grated

Icing:
455g icing sugar
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon thickened cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon table salt
250g cream cheese
60g butter, softened

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius and line mini muffin trays with cupcake liners.

2. Place a non-stick pan on medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of the icing sugar to the pan in an even layer. Let the sugar melt, untouched, then begin stirring as it melts to prevent the bottom burning.
When the sugar turns a light brown, add 1/2 cup of the cream, the vanilla and the salt. Be careful as it will bubble a lot.
Stir until it melts and any harder bits dissolve then add the remaining cream and remove from the heat. Sieve into to a bowl and leave to cool. This caramel will be used later for the icing.

3. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

4. In a mixer, whisk together the eggs and both caster and brown sugars until smooth. Add the oil and vanilla and continue to whisk until well combined.
Add the flour mixture slowly to the wet mixture and stir until just combined.
Fold in the grated apple.

5. Divide mixture into the mini cupcake papers and bake for approx 10mins until a skewer comes out with a few crumbs clinging. Remove from oven and allow tray to cool before transferring cupcakes to a wire cooling rack.

6. Beat together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.

Gradually add the remaining icing sugar and mix well.
Once all of the sugar has been mixed in, add the caramel mixture and beat well.
Chill for approx 1 hour until the icing mixture thickens enough to spread onto cupcakes.

7. Once cupcakes are iced, sprinkle with cinnamon.

Best kept refrigerated until a few minutes before serving.

Happy Baking....