Bourbon Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Photos by Natalie Whearley

Bourbon apple cupcakes filled with bourbon caramel and topped with cinnamon ginger whipped cream cheese frosting.
Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Autumn is finally here!  And I am so excited, because the flavors of fall are my absolute favorite!  I love pumpkin, apples, cinnamon, and of course bourbon!  I recently made a bourbon apple pie for my dad's birthday and was excited to keep experimenting with the flavors.  Apple cider and whiskey seem to be two ingredients in many popular fall cocktails.  And while, this cupcake isn't based on one specifically, it combines those two flavors to create a cupcake that tastes like autumn!

I found Brown Eyed Baker's recipe for a great apple cupcake, but adapted it.  I added just a pinch of cardamon (one of my favorite spices) and made it tipsy too!  And if you have seen or made any of my other cupcakes, you know I love to fill my cupcakes with something yummy.  And since caramel apples is another popular treat for this season, I figured the addition of caramel would be perfect!   Enjoy these cupcakes for halloween parties, fall birthdays, or just because and they will be a hit!

[ INGREDIENTS ]
Makes approximately 12 cupcakes

Bourbon Caramel
1/8 cup water
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
2 ounces of bourbon ( I used Bulleit)

Bourbon Apple Cupcakes
1 ½ cup small diced organic apples (about 2 medium apples), I used Rosalynn apples
4 tablespoons bourbon (Again, used Bulleit)
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cardamom 
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk, at room temperature

Cinnamon Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese frosting at room temperature
2-3 cups powdered sugar, depending on consistency
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream


[ DIRECTIONS ]

Bourbon Caramel

1. In a small saucepan, mix together the water and granulated sugar over high heat, bringing it to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium and continue boiling until the mixture turns a light caramel color, stirring every one to two minutes.  Note: this make take up to 15 minutes depending on your stove.
3. As soon as the syrup turns amber, remove the pot from heat and immediately stir in heavy cream, butter, and brown sugar until incorporated.  The sugar will clump up when you add it, but continue stirring as best as you can for about 30 seconds.
4. Place the pot back over medium heat and bring to a boil.  
5. Stir the mixture until the sugar chunk dissolves and it begins to smooth out.
6. Slowly add the rum while stirring constantly.
7. Simmer for an additional 3-5 minutes until slightly thickened.
8. Cool completely.

Apple Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. In a small bowl, combine the diced apples and the bourbon and set aside
3. in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom and set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy.
5. Add the egg to the butter mixture and whip until combined.
6. Mixing on low speed, add 1/2 of the flour mixture to the butter and mix until mostly combined. Then add the buttermilk and continue mixing.  Finally, add the remaining flour mixture and mix until combined.
7. Fold in the apple and bourbon mixture.
8. Divide the batter between muffin tins, filling about 2/3 full.
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
10. Cool completely.

Cinnamon Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cream cheese until smooth.
2. Mixing on low speed, add the cinnamon and ginger.  Gradually add the powdered sugar.
3. Add the heavy whipping cream and whip until the frosting forms stiff peaks.

Put it all together

1. After the cupcakes have cooled, use a cupcake corer or the back of a pastry tip to remove the center of each cupcake.
2. Using a pastry bag, fill each hole with the bourbon caramel.
3. Using a pastry bag, pipe on the cinnamon whipped cream cheese frosting.
4. Use any remaining caramel to drizzle over to top.
5. Enjoy!