Apple Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream

I found this recipe via Pinterest.
I changed a few things, as I liked salted caramel better than regular caramel.
They are DELICIOUS.

Helpful Tip: I made the caramel (for the buttercream and the drizzle) while the cupcakes were cooking so that it would be sufficiently cooled by the time I needed to use it!

ingredients
cupcakes
3C all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
4 eggs, room temperature
1C sugar
1C brown sugar
1/4C orange juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
1C canola oil
1 Fuji apple, grated (use the bigger slots, the small graters just juice it.)
1 Granny Smith apple, grated

salted caramel buttercream
1C + 2tbsp sugar
1/4C water
1/4C heavy cream
1 tsp sea salt
3 sticks butter, softened
4 egg whites, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract

salted caramel drizzle
1/4 + 1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp heavy cream
1/2 tbsp sea salt

directions
cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease or line (with cupcake liners) muffin pan.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
4. In a separate bowl (I used my KitchenAid), beat eggs and sugars together until creamy.
5. Add orange juice, vanilla, and canola oil at medium-low speed until combined.
6. Slowly add flour mixture until well mixed.
7. Fold in grated apples.
8. Bake ~25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean & let cool.

caramel buttercream

1. Bring 1/2C + 2 tbsp sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
2. Swirl pan occassionally, until caramel is a dark amber color. BE CAREFUL not to let it burn.
3. Immediately remove from heat, slowly add cream, sea salt, and 1 tsp vanilla.
4. Stir with a silicone spoon (I find its easier to get caramel off silicone than wood).
5. Let cool. (at least 15 minutes)
6. In medium bowl, beat butter with mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. ~3minutes.
7. Place eggs whites and remaining sugar in double boiler (or heatproof bowl over pot of simmering water).
8. Whisk until sugar dissolves (I don't have a candy thermometer -- so I just kept an eye out).
9. Remove from heat and transfer to large bowl (I used my KitchenAid with wisk attachment).
10. Whisk on medium (6 on KitchenAid) speed for 5 minutes.
11. Increase speed to medium-high (8 on KitchenAid) for 6 minutes.
12. Reduce speed to medium (4 on KitchenAid) and add butter, a little bit at a time.
13. Whisk in vanilla.
14. Switch to paddle attachment.
15. With mixer on low speed (2 on KitchenAid), add caramel and beat for 5 minutes.
16. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

salted caramel drizzle

1. Bring sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
2. Swirl pan occassionally, until caramel is a dark amber color. BE CAREFUL not to let it burn.
3. Immediately remove from heat, slowly add cream, sea salt, and 1 tsp vanilla.
4. Stir with silicone spoon.
5. Let cool. (at least 15 minutes).
6. Transfer to pastry bag (or ziploc), snip corner and drizzle onto buttercream in whatever pattern your heart desires.
7. Enjoy!!

Blueberry Pancake Cupcakes with Maple Syrup Buttercream

I found this recipe via pinterest. It sounded heavenly, and it definitely delivered!
I changed some ingredients around based on what I had / trying to be healthier and cheaper.
This made 32 cupcakes. I also had to adjust the cooking time, but that could be my finicky oven.

ingredients
for the cupcakes
2 sticks butter, softened
1.5C sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
2 egg whites, room temperature
3 1/3C all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1C plain greek yogurt
1/3C skim milk
1 tbsp vanilla
1.5C frozen blueberries (they hold up better in batter)

for buttercream
1 stick butter, softened
1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened
1/3C maple syrup (less if you're not using the pure, real thing...otherwise it will be REALLY sweet)
5.5C powdered sugar

for decoration
3 fresh blueberries per cupcake
cinnamon sugar

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 360 degrees.
2. Line pans with cupcake liners (or spray the pans if you don't want to use liners).
3. In large bowl (I used my KitchenAid) beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
4. On low speed, add eggs and egg whites one at a time until well combined.
5. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
6. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture in thirds, alternating with the wet (greek yogurt, vanilla, coconut water) until fully combined.
7. Fold in frozen blueberries.
8. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full.
9. Bake for ~28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. (The recipe recommended 18 minutes but mine were still batter at that point)
10. In large bowl (I used my KitchenAid), beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy.
11. Add maple syrup and powdered sugar little by little (unless you want a powdered sugar cloud then add it all at once!).
12. If the frosting is too thick, add a little bit of milk until the texture is more to your liking.
13. Pipe buttercream onto  cooled cupcakes.
14. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of buttercream.
15. Top wtih 3 blueberries.
16. Enjoy!

Last Minute Pumpkin Muffins

Found this recipe on Pinterest, it is a super quick and easy way to make pumpkin muffins when you are in a time crunch.

I had all but 1/4C of the can of pumpkin left, so I used the remainder of the can of pumpkin + 1/4C of plain greek yogurt. Turned out delicious, and super moist!

Don't be alarmed that the batter looks thicker than normal, everything turned out fine.

ingredients
Duncan Hines Spice Cake Mix
15oz can of Pumpkin

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease muffin pan (or use liners!).
3. Combine can of pumpkin (or pumpkin/yogurt mixture) with cake mixture.
4. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.
5. Bake 25 minutes.
6. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Poppers

I woke up this morning dreaming of pumpkin muffins and pumpkin coffee.

I scoped my Pinterest "Recipes to Try" board, and found this recipe. I mostly followed the recipe, just substituting what I had vs what was listed.
They were delicious.

ingredients
For Poppers:
1.75C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/3C canola oil
1/2C brown sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4C pumpkin
1/2C coconut milk

For Coating: 
1 stick butter, melted
2/3C sugar
2 tbs cinnamon

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease mini muffin pan.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and spices in a bowl.
4. In another bowl (I used my KitchenAid Stand Mixer), mix oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin, and coconut milk until well combined. 
5. Add flour mixture little by little until well combined.
6. Fill mini muffin pan almost to the top. 
7. Bake 10-12 minutes.
8. Melt butter in small bowl for coating.
9. In separate bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar.
10. After the poppers cool for a few minutes (or right away if you don't mind burning your fingers!), dip the poppers in the melted butter and then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
11. Enjoy!

Nutella Pound Cake

Found this recipe via Pinterest.
It is AMAZING, perfectly sweet and Nutella-y but not overwhelmingly so.

I used a 8.5x4.5 inch loaf pan, which nearly doubled my cook time -- so use a 9x5, and/or do what I did and keep checking on it every 5 minutes after the 1 hour and 10 minute listed time.

ingredients
1.5C flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 sticks butter, softened
1.25C sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
13oz jar of Nutella

directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Grease and flour 9x5 loaf pan.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
4. In large bowl (I used my KitchenAid Stand Mixer), beat butter and sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
5. Lower speed to medium and add eggs and vanilla until fully incorporated.
6. Lower speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 parts until just blended.
7. Spread 1/3 batter in pan, then spread 1/3 Nutella on top. Repeat until all batter and Nutella is gone.
8. Take a knife and swirl through the pan to slightly mix the Nutella and batter.
9. Bake about 70 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.  (For the 8.5x5.5 pan, it was about 110 minutes.)
10. Allow cake to cool for ~20 minutes, then remove from pan.
11. Allow to cool before cutting (or risk the crumbling!).
12. Enjoy!