Candy Apple Cupcakes

Have you ever walked by the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and noticed that you stopped to stare at the amazing candy apples in the window? Yeah, me too. So I thought it would be fun to bring that same look to a cupcake.

First bake the apple cupcakes

Cream together:

1/2 C shortening

1 1/2 C sugar

Add:

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

Cream for about 2 minutes on medium speed. If you don't have a mixer enjoy the workout.

Add:

1 C applesauce

1/4 c water

In a separate bowl combine:

2 1/4 C flour

2 t cinnamon

1/2 t nutmeg

1/4 t ground cloves

1 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture until well combined.

Fold in 1 1/2 C peeled and diced granny smith apples. (2 apples)

Spray muffin tins, fill each 2/3 full, bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Let cool in pan for 3-5 minutes. Cool completely on a cooling rack.

Melt a little vanilla almond bark, or white choc. chips, or vanilla candy wafers. Dip the end of a lollipop stick into the melted vanilla whatever and stick it in the center of the cupcakes. I pushed them in deep, but not enough to go through the other side. Freeze these for several hours. (If you don't the rest of this project will NOT be fun)

In a microwave safe mixing bowl place 3/4 C butterscotch chips and 1 can sweetened condensed milk. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Continue microwaving in 30 second intervals until butterscotch chips are melted and mixture is smooth.
Dip each frozen cupcake in the butterscotch mixture, use a fork to lift cupcake out (be careful, the little sucker stick is easy to yank out) tap off excess and roll in topping of choice. (chopped nuts, crushed oreos, mini m&m's, sprinkles, whatever sounds good to you)
place on wax paper to set up. This can take a couple hours if left on counter, the fridge will help speed it up.


To drizzle your apple cakes melt some chocolate chips in the microwave, on reduced power (I do 40%, but every oven is different) place melted chips in a sandwich bag and snip a little tiny tip off one of the corners, drizzle away!
I put these in cello bags and tied them with ribbon for extra fun give aways.