Caramel Apple Cupcakes with Apple Cider Buttercream

These are one of my favorite cupcakes and they're perfect for any fall dessert table.

• 3 ¾ cups flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups brown sugar
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• ¾ cup chunky applesauce: (I've also just bought chunky applesauce and that works too)
• 3 apples, peeled, cored and choped
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• ½ cup water
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¾ caramel sauce (store bought or make your own, recipe here)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• Apple Cider Frosting:
• 2lb bag of powdered sugar
• ¾ cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ to ½ cup apple cider

Place applesauce ingredients in small saucepan over low heat and cook until apples are tender. Drain remaining water. Put aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line or grease 2 dozen muffin tins. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl beat the sugar and oil together until well combined. Add applesauce, caramel sauce, and vanilla. Beat for 30 seconds. Then add eggs one at a time. Add flour mixture in slowly, alternating with buttermilk. Pour 2/3 full into muffin cups. Bake for 18 -20 minutes.

Make frosting: Beat butter, cinnamon and powdered sugar on low until incorporated. Add apple cider slowly using only as much as needed to get desired consistency. Adding more powdered sugar if the buttercream gets to runny.

Let cupcakes cool before icing. Once cool top with frosting and drizzle with extra caramel.

Salted Caramel Sauce

I've made this recipe millions of times for craft sales and farmers market and it is always a hit. Some have even called it liquid gold or crack in a jar...It's highly addicting and amazing. And you can use it for almost anything: cheesecake, cupcakes, ice cream, cinnamon rolls, scones, muffins, fruit, pretzels,  or just by the spoonful. A couple of tips. Try not to double or triple the recipe unless you have a really good heavy bottom and large pot. I have had some incidents where it over boils and turns into a solid. NOT fun. Keep an eye on it when it starts to boil. It can go from Amber to black really fast. Don't add the heavy cream unless it's heated and use a gloved hand while stirring in the cream, the steam coming off is HOT! If you don't want it salted simply add just 1 teaspoon of salt. And lastly, try to wait for it to cool before you sneak a taste. 😉

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons corn syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a heavy sauce pan (I use a 3 qt pot), combine your sugar, syrup and water and still until the sugar is moistened. Heat over medium heat, whisking until sugar has dissolved and starts to become clear.

Once it starts to bubble, stop stirring completely and let it boil undisturbed until it turns a deep amber, about 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat your heavy cream in the microwave for 1 minute. Don't skip this step, or you'll be sorry!

Once it gets to the desired color, remove from heat, and using a long wooden spoon, stir while slowly pouring in your cream. If for some reason, your caramel starts to get lumpy, return the pan to the stove and heat and stir until the lumps dissolve. Stir in the butter and salt. Let cool for 5 minutes and then add your vanilla. Let cool completely before canning or storing.

Recipe makes about 2 cups of pure awesomeness.

Soft Pretzels & Bread Bowls

These are a bit time consuming, but so worth the effort. We love them! Soft and chewy and buttery. We ate them with this delicious Beer and Cheddar Bacon Soup. Fantastic!

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
• About 4 1/2 cups flour
• ¼ cup (½ stick) butter, melted
• 2-3 quart pot full of water
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
• course salt

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the water, sugar, yeast and salt on low speed for 10 seconds. Switch to the dough hook and add the flour and butter. Mix on low until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approx. 4 minutes. Take the dough out of the bowl and spray the bowl with cooking spray. Put the dough back into the bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap and set in a warm place for approx. an hour or until the dough has doubled in size. Spray a pastry mat or cutting board lightly with oil. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into about a 24-inch rope and then make into a pretzel shape. See link below for detailed pictures! Cover the remaining dough with a towel while you work, so it doesn't dry out. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Bring the pot of water and baking soda to a rolling boil. Using a flat spatula, gently lower the pretzels into the boiling water and boil them for about 30 seconds. you can probably boil 2-3 pretzels at a time. Remove the pretzels from the water using your spatula, draining as much water off as possible and place on cookie sheet. Brush with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle with course salt. Bake until golden brown, about 12-14 minutes. Serve warm.

To Make Pretzel Bread Bowls OR Rolls:

After the first rise separate the dough into four even balls, for bread bowls, or into 6-8 balls, for dinner rolls. Place on floured surface, about 2 inches apart, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30-40 minutes. Continue as above directs with the baking soda bath. Brush with butter and sprinkle salt and bake for 20-25 minutes or until slightly browned. When cooled scoop out inside, if using for bread bowls, leaving about an inch of pretzel and fill with your favorite soup.

Freezer directions: pretzels, bowls and rolls can be frozen after baked. Just cool completely and then place in a freezer bag and freeze up to 6 months. When ready to eat, thaw to room temperature and then wrap in foil and bake at 350 degrees F. for 10-15 minutes.

S'more Cupcakes

These are the perfect summer treat, and bonus, you get to use a torch.

• Graham Cracker Layer:
• 1 ½ cups crushed graham crackers
• ⅓ cup butter, melted
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• Chocolate Cupcake layer:
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¾ cup boiling water
• Toasted Marshmallow topping:
• 8 egg whites
• 2 cups sugar
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Hershey Chocolate pieces 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line your muffin tin with 2 dozen liners. Pulse graham crackers in your food processor, add butter and sugar and mix until well mixed. Press 1 full Tablespoon onto the bottom of each liner. Put to the side. Make the batter: in your stand up mixer add all the dry ingredients and whisk well. In a separate bowl mix together the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Slowly add in the hot water. Mix just until incorporated, do not overmix. Scoop unto graham cracker layer until about ⅔ full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until cooked through and bounce back when lightly touched. Place one bar of hershey chocolate in the middle of each hot cupcake. Let melt and spread around chocolate. Place cupcakes to the side and finish cooling. Make the marshmallow topping: put the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in the heat proof bowl of your mixer. Place the bowl over a saucepan with boiling water. Whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and is warm to touch. Do not let it get hot. Place bowl back on your stand up mixer and using the whisk attachment, whisk, starting on low and then gradually going up to high. Mix for 8-10 minutes. Or until it forms stiff peaks. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated. Place marshmallow frosting into your bag fitted with a 1M tip and pipe onto your cooled cupcakes. Torch and place a hershey chocolate piece into each cupcake. 

Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes.

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Queso Fundido w/ Chorizo

This is one of our favorite appetizers (and sometimes a meal by itself). Super easy to make and comes together quickly. 

• ½ lb. chorizo (or regular sausage, if you prefer)
• ½ onion, diced small
• 2 small orange and/or red bell peppers, chopped
• 1 lb Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• Chopped tomatoes, if desired
• Green onions, if desired

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In your cast iron skillet, over medium heat, cook your chorizo, onion and bell peppers until the meat is cooked through and veggies are browned. Remove from heat. Cover with cheese and place entire skillet in the oven. Cook 10-15 minutes or until bubbly and brown. Top with tomatoes and onions and serve warm with tortilla chips.

Green Chile Cheese Bread

This has become my go to savory quick bread recipe! It's fantastic! And it's so versatile. We tried it just this past week with Mozzarella, cheddar, bacon and chives. YUM! Try this recipe today! You will not be disappointed! :o)

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cubed cheddar & Monterey jack cheese
• 1 cup whole milk
• ⅓ cup oil
• 1 egg
• 4oz can chopped green chiles
• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped jalapenos (I usually use the jarred jalapenos)

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 8 inch bread loaf pan. Blend the flour, salt, pepper, sugar and baking powder together in mixer. Add cheese. Pour in the milk, oil, egg, chiles and jalapeno. Blend just until incorporated. Pour into prepared pan and bake about 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden and springs back when touched. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Serve warm with butter.

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

These might be one of my favorite cupcakes. I could probably sit down and eat a whole bowl of just the custard filling. There just so good. Try some for yourself!

• Custard filling:
• 1 ⅓ cups heavy cream
• 3 egg yolks
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 Tablespoons butter, cut into 2 pieces
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
• Cupcakes:
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 ½ sticks butter, at room temp and cut into small pieces
• Ganache:
• 8 ounces chocolate, chopped (semi-sweet or dark)
• ⅔ cup heavy cream
• ¼  cup light corn syrup
• ½  teaspoon vanilla

Make the pastry cream by bringing the heavy cream to a simmer over medium heat in a saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together until pale yellow and thick. Slowly stir some of the hot cram into the egg mixture, then return the whole bowl in the saucepan and cook, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and butter. Transfer to a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly to surface of custard. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. 

Make the cupcakes: preheat oven to 350 degrees and line your cupcake pan with cupcake liners. In your stand up mixer, mix the flour, sugar, and baking powder. Beat in the butter, adding 1 Tablespoon at a time. Continue to beat until the mixture looks like moist crumbs. Beat in the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla, mixing well. Scoop into your prepared liners, filling about 3/4" full. Bake for 18 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. 

Make the ganache: Microwave all the ganache ingredients together, whisking often, until melted and smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Let glaze cool until it's thick but pourable. About 30 minutes. 

To fill the cupcakes with the custard: scoop out the inside of the cupcake by cutting around the inner edge of the top of each cupcake, removing a cone-shaped piece from each cupcake. Fill with 2 Tablespoons of the custard, trim and replace the cupcake top and set back on wire rack over wax paper. Spread ganache over cupcakes.
Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes.