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Caramel Apple Cupcakes, Fall Inspired Baking

Published: Updated:

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BakeInTheFun #CollectiveBias

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Fall is a funny thing here in Florida, it's practically non-existent. You start to feel it in the morning air, and after the sun goes down, but the high temperatures of the day practically stay the same, just without the blanket of humidity. We don't get the leaves that change color with the changing of the seasons. Because we don't truly have four seasons. We have summer, fallinterish, and spring. Our winters are more like up-state New York's fall. For those that have lived here all their lives that may be great, but for me who was raised in the middle of Alabama, I'm used to crisp air, and the leaves changing colors.

Even though we don't really have a fall here, it's still one of my favorite seasons. When the stores start to put away their back to school gear, and bring out the colors of oranges, mustard yellows, browns, and dark reds, I know that fall is here, even if the weather isn't signaling it. I pull out my fallinterish box and decorate, to show my kids what fall is supposed to look like. From the pumpkins and scarecrows to the fall leaf garlands, and pumpkin flavored candies.

A lot of people believe that when the coffee shops start to bring out their pumpkin spiced lattes that fall is here. Although I love pumpkin flavored everything, and bake lots of pumpkin treats in our short fallinterish window, the flavors of apple really bring me that fall feeling.  Growing up my mother used to place cloves, orange and apple slices, and cinnamon on the stove to simmer. It would make our house smell like a crisp day in the woods. At least that is what I imagined a crisp day in the woods would smell like.  However, I can say that it did smell exactly like apple cider. So not only does pumpkin everything get baked up in our home, apple everything does too!

One of my favorites from fall is caramel dipped apples. They are so delectable! I wanted to create a cupcake with those same flavors and  M&M's®, Pillsbury™ Moist Supreme®, Mott's®, and Snapple® Apple made it so simple!

There are so many delicious choices for topping your cupcakes. I chose to use the  M&M's® Pecan Pie and  M&M's® Peanut Harvest, but you could also use M&M's® Milk Chocolate Harvest. The topping make the caramel apple experience, since caramel apples are almost always dipped in a crushed candy or nuts. The  M&M's® Pecan Pie sort of add a whole new experience, and when they were paired with the M&M's® Peanut Harvest, it took the cupcakes to a whole new level of extravagance!

Since I was already grocery shopping at Walmart, I figured I would go ahead and grab what I needed to make my caramel apple cupcakes.  Everything is so conveniently located.

Scroll down for a printable recipe.



::cupcakes::
What do you need?
One box Pillsbury™ Moist Supreme® White Cake Mix
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons Mott's® Original Applesauce
¾ cup Snapple® Apple drink
One bag each M&M's® Pecan Pie,  M&M's® Peanut Harvest, and/or M&M's® Milk Chocolate Harvest (all available at Walmart)

What do you do?
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line your muffin pan with liners.
In a large bowl mix together your Pillsbury™ Moist Supreme® White Cake Mix and pumpkin pie spice.
Stir in your ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons Mott's® Original Applesauce and ¾ cup Snapple® Apple.
Spoon your batter into your liners, filling them ¾ of the way full.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool cupcakes completely before frosting. (recipe below)
After frosting, place ½ cup of each M&M's® Pecan Pie and M&M's® Peanut Harvest in a food processor and pulse until you have broken the candy down.
Sprinkle on top of cupcakes and place one M&M's® in the center.

::frosting::
What do you need?
¼ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
6 teaspoons heavy cream
1 to 2 cups powdered sugar

What do you do?
Melt butter in a saucepan.
Add your brown sugar and heavy cream.
Stir constantly over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
Allow to bubble for 3 minutes, but no more, or you'll have caramel candy!
Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
Using a hand mixer, add in ½ cup powdered sugar at a time, until you reach desired consistency.
Allow frosting to cool completely, before frosting cupcakes.
I used a piping bag and star tip to frost the cupcakes.

Frosting recipe was adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction.

So how do you say caramel? Do you say it like care-uh-mel or do you say car-mull? Is caramel apples one of your fall favorites?

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Comments

  1. Renz says

    Heey. You're in Florida too. Just found your blog from BMB group. This looks like so decadent!!

    • Joanna says

      I love meeting other Florida bloggers, so glad you stopped over!

  2. Carlee says

    I hate central IL winters, but I do love fall. I love all things baked with apples, pumpkin or car-mull. These cupcakes look amazing and I can't wait to start fall baking!

    • Joanna says

      Thanks Carlee! My husband says car-mull too, he's from Indiana. 🙂

  3. Heather {Brie Brie Blooms} says

    These are so pretty and look delicious! #client

    • Joanna says

      Thanks so much Heather!

  4. Valerie says

    Yum, they look delicious and those pecan pie M&M's look good!

    • Joanna says

      Thanks Valeria!

  5. Kim @ The Baking ChocolaTess says

    OMG! Joanna, These are to die for! Thanks for sharing. I cannot wait to eat those Pecan Pie M&M's! Pinning!

    • Joanna says

      Kim, they are amazing!! Thanks for the pin!

  6. Joanna says

    Found you via Bewitchin' Kitchen and had to hop over to comment. I never meet other Joannas 🙂

    • Joanna says

      I've met one other two other Joannas, I actually went to school with one, and the other was my great grandmother. So it's wonderful to meet you Joanna! 🙂

  7. Rebecca says

    Wow - caramel and apple plus cupcakes. How could you go wrong - this is a win/win. Thanks for sharing.

    • Joanna says

      I always think win win! 🙂

  8. Chandra@The Plaid & Paisley Kitchen says

    Oh My goodness these cupcakes look so tasty!!!

    • Joanna says

      Thanks Chandra!

  9. Pam @ The Birch Cottage says

    I didn't even know all these varieties of m&ms were available! Sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing on the Living with Style Linky Party!

    • Joanna says

      You gotta try them Pam!

  10. Hannah says

    Wow what a great idea! These look super yummy and perfect for fall!

    • Joanna says

      Thanks Hannah!

  11. Deb (Two Cheeky Monkeys) says

    I can almost taste them over the internet!!!

    • Joanna says

      🙂

    • Joanna says

      Thanks Angie!

  13. Jess says

    What a neat recipe!

    Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!

    • Joanna says

      Thank you Jess!

  14. Samantha K says

    Caramel and apples are a fall favorite for me! These looks amazing! (client)

    • Joanna says

      Thanks Samantha!

  15. Erlene says

    What a fun cupcake! I love fall too and these would be so fun to serve at a party. Thanks for sharing on Merry Monday. Pinned.

    • Joanna says

      Thanks for pinning! They would be great at a party. 🙂

  16. Erin says

    We are loving apples!! Thanks for linking up to Good Tips Tuesday. You will be featured this week.

    • Joanna says

      Thank you so much Erin!!

  17. Creatively Homespun says

    This looks amazing!!! Seriously.. YOU ROCKED IT THIS WEEK! Thank you for linking up at the Creative K Kids’ Tasty Tuesdays! I have pinned all your posts to our Tasty Tuesdays Pinterest Board!! I hope to see you again this week! xo

    • Joanna says

      Thank you so much!!

  18. Abby @ WinsteadWandering says

    These look really good! I love baking with apples and apple-flavors.

    • Joanna says

      Thanks! Me too Abby!