Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche and Honey Cream Cheese Icing.

As per your twitter requests, here's my recipe for the cupcakes. Let me know how yours turn out.  Also, going to do my damnedest to return to writing on LOCM:)  XO

For Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes
1/2 c. butter
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
4 c. shredded apples, loosely packed
2 1/4 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350.

Sift and whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.  Set aside.  Cream butter and sugar in mixer.  Mix in eggs and vanilla.  Add shredded apples and mix on low.  Add the flour mixture until just combined.

Fill 24 cupcake liners halfway with batter.  Bake for 18 minutes or until tops are spongy and browned.

Meanwhile, make your Honey Cream Cheese Icing:

2 packages cream cheese, softened
1/3 c. honey (I use whipped cinnamon-flavored honey that has a denser texture, but you can add a dash or two of cinnamon to regular)
1 tsp vanilla
1 c. powdered sugar (can add more or less depending on desired sweetness/density.)


Mix cream cheese, honey and vanilla.  Add powdered sugar until combined.  Place in refrigerator for at least an hour to set.

By now the cupcakes should be out of the oven and set to cool.  Time to make the dulcede leche!

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp sea salt


 First, increase the oven temp to 425.  In a glass pie pan, empty the contents of the condensed milk and sprinkle evenly with the sea salt.  Place the pie pan in a larger pan and fill the larger pan with hot water to immerse only the bottom half of the pie pan.  Cover the pie pan tightly with foil.  Place in the oven for about an hour, replacing any evaporated water in the larger pan as needed.  The milk should have taken on a brown, caramel-like consistency.  Stir the dulce de leche and allow to cool before transferring to a pastry bag with a piping tip.

Now it's time to assemble.  Cut small holes in the tops of cupcakes.  Pipe the dulce de leche inside.  Frost with the cream cheese icing and feel free to decorate with any additional dulce de leche (as I did.)

Savor the Fall goodness and enjoy the deliciosity.