100th Post Giveaway!! Salted Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Wow I can’t believe it’s my 100th post!  The time seems to have flown by.  To celebrate I have a small little giveaway, sponsored by Duncan Hines and through my participation in the Foodbuzz Tastemakers program!  In this fun Tastemaker event Duncan Hines and Comstock came together and challenged us to create a recipe using their products.  Duncan Hines was even nice enough to provide me with some coupons so my readers can try their cake mix, frostings or heavenly glazes for free!  I have five to giveaway and you can win by leaving a comment telling me you a). following me on Twitter, b). liking me on Facebook or c). just leaving a comment.  Be sure to leave a comment if you already a fan on either twitter or facebook too!

If you’ve read my blog before, you know I am a fan of jazzing up plain old cake mixes and turning them into something more.  So when I was shopping and saw the Duncan Hines Caramel Apple Cake Mix, I wanted to try it immediately but also really infuse the flavor of apple in the cakes, so I grabbed a can of the Comstock Apple Pie filling.  The results?  Amazing!  

Salted Caramel Apple Cupcakes

1 box Duncan Hines Decadent Caramel Apple Cake Mix (Spice Cake would be awesome too)
1 cup Comstock Apple Pie filling

1.  Assemble cake mix and caramel mix as directed in the box.  Add in the 1 cup of Apple Pie filling (dice apples into smaller pieces) into the cake batter. 

2.  Pour batter into cupcake liners and spoon the caramel sauce into each cupcake and swirl with knife.  *Save any extra caramel to drizzle on top of cupcakes after frosted. *

3.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until baked through.  Remove from heat and let cool. 

Salted Caramel Frosting
from CHOW

1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup powdered sugar

1.  In a heavy bottom sauce pan add the sugar and water to the pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Let it cook until the mixture turns dark amber in color, about 6 to 7 minutes.  * Don’t stir the mixture with a spoon, gently swirl mixture by rotating the saucepan.*

2.  Remove from heat and slowly add in the heavy cream and vanilla extract, stirring until the mixture is completely smooth.  Set aside until the caramel is cool to the touch.  *Approximately 20-25 minutes*

3.  Combine butter and salt in a bowl and beat on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add powdered sugar, and mix until completely incorporated.  Chill frosting for 30 minutes or longer to allow it to set.

Frost cupcakes and top with apple pieces (left over from the comstock apple pie filling).  *Optional:  Drizzle with left over caramel.*

 

Oh and just wait until you take a bite, caramel goodness awaits you!!!  My friends and I loved these cupcakes, so decadent, the salted caramel was perfect with the sweet fall flavors of caramel apples.  The addition of the apple pie filling in the batter made the cake even moister!   

Don’t forget to enter to win some Duncan Hines coupons!!  I’ll pick the winners at random and announce them in my next blog post.