INGREDIENTS
1 Fuji apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon apple pie spice
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider (if you don't have this water, apple juice or milk is a fine substitution) mixed with 2 teaspoons cornstarch in a tiny little bowl to make a slurry
Cupcake:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 large eggs, broken into a small bowl
3/4 cup well-shaked buttermilk
Cinnamon Buttercream:
1 stick + 6 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon heavy cream (plus more if needed)
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
DIRECTIONS
Apple Pie Filling:
In a medium size saucepan, melt the butter on medium heat.Add the apples, brown sugar and vanilla and stir well. Cook until bubbling, stirring occasionally for about 4-5 minutes.
Add the apple cider/cornstarch slurry and bring to a bubble. Cook for 1-2 minutes until it thickens up.
Remove from heat and set it aside to cool.
Cupcakes
Place a strainer over a medium-size mixing bowl and sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
In another medium-size mixing bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and brown sugar together until well combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs, beating until combined. Add about half of the flour mixture and the buttermilk, and mix just until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Add the rest of the flour mixture and mix just until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Fold in the cooled Apple Pie filling mixture, being careful not to stir too much.
Fill each prepared muffin cup about 2/3 full. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
Leave the cupcakes in the pan on a rack to cool for about 5 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Cinnamon Buttercream
I found this recipe is easiest if you use a Kitchen Aid mixer, but a hand mixer works just as well.Cream together the butter and sugar at medium speed for 4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl. Add the heavy cream and whip on high speed for about 5 minutes, until the frosting has a creamy texture. Scrape down the bowl. At this point If the frosting is too stiff go ahead and add an additional one teaspoon of heavy cream and whip for another 5 minutes. Add in your salt, vanilla and cinnamon, and whip for 5 more minutes.
This should be a light and fluffy buttercream frosting.
Frost the cupcakes and store in an air-tight container.
