Candy Apple Cupcake

It was a close call and it was really hard to say for sure who won, but these certainly got their share of rave reviews - especially from MM.  I guess it all depends on if you're a Candy Apple lover.  Either way, it was fun to make and funny to watch people eat this candy coated cupcake. To make this trick or treat favourite you'll need...

• White Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water...but we're replacing the water for this one)
• Apple Juice Concentrate (to replace the water your recipe calls for)
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• Candy Apple Kit (most kits require you to add lots of sugar and some water)
• Store bought White Icing
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• Garnish Ideas: Candy Coated Apple Slice or Red Cinnamon Candy

Step 1: For the most part, follow the direction of your White Cake Mix - preheat your oven and add in your eggs and oil, but replace the water with Apple Juice Concentrate and mix in a teaspoon of Cinnamon. Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners and bake as directed on package. Once done, cool completely. 

Step 2: Time to make your Candy Coating!  Follow the directions of your Candy Apple Kit.  Mine required the addition of sugar and water followed by almost 30 minutes of boiling!  I also bought a candy thermometer which was quite helpful and cost less than $5.  But there is a trick to know if it's done without one...just spoon a small amount of the sugar syrup into some cold water and if it forms a crack-hard string it's good to go.

Step 3: Now that your cupcakes are cool and the Candy Apple Coating is just finished, take a silicone brush and brush the HOT Candy Coating over the tops of your cupcakes.  You'll want to move fast but be careful because it is crazy hot. If you're planning on topping your cupcakes with Candy Apple Slices you'll want to dip them in right after.

Step 4: Don't ice your cupcakes yet! The candy needs to harden and cool.  The sugar takes a surprising amount of time to cool down and will be hard quickly but not cool enough to ice on top.  If you ice them too soon your icing will melt and slide off.  I waited 30 minutes to be safe.

Step 5: Mix together your White Icing and Butter on high until smooth. Give it a taste and if it's too buttery for your taste, add some icing sugar. Pipe your icing on top of your cooled cupcake and Candy Coating.  If you're garnishing it with an Apple Slice, be sure to wait until you're ready to serve your cupcake before placing it on top.

Happy Faking

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Caramel Apple Cupcake

Well, it's hard to say who won overall, but the first ones gone in both test groups were the Caramel Apple.  Plus, that one was my favourite so it's getting posted first!  The best part of this cupcake, other than the caramel apple slice on top, was the surprise caramel filling.  To make this sweet and caramely delight you'll need...

For the Cake: 

• White Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water...but we're replacing the water for this one)
• Apple Juice Concentrate (to replace the water your recipe calls for)
• Store bought White Icing
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• Garnish: Caramel Square or Caramel Apple Slice

For the Filling:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons Milk
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar

Alright, here's the recipe...

Step 1: For the most part, follow the direction of your White Cake Mix - preheat your oven and add in your eggs and oil, but replace the water with Apple Juice Concentrate. Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners and bake as directed on package. Once done, cool completely.

Step 2: On to the Caramel Filling!  Melt down the butter in a saucepan on the stove.  Add in the Brown Sugar and boil for around 2 minutes stirring constantly - be careful cuz this gets hot!  Next you'll need to remove it from the burner and mix in the milk.  Place it back on the burner and get it back to a boil.  Once it reached a good boil remove it and let it cool to lukewarm and stir in your icing sugar.

Step 3: Using a cupcake corer or small spoon, make a small hole in the centre of your cooled cupcakes.  If you're using a spoon, you may want to use a knife first to create a small circle and use a spoon to scoop it out.  Make sure you don't go too far down into the centre of your cupcake or your filling will fall out from the bottom when you unwrap it.

Step 4: Spoon in your Caramel Filling.  It's easier to do this when it's still a little warm.  Your filling will be plyable and have a consistency of a fudge.

Step 5: Mix together your White Icing and Butter on high until smooth. Give it a taste and if it's too buttery for your taste, add some icing sugar. Pipe your icing on top of your cupcake to cover the filling.  If you're garnishing it with an Apple Slice, be sure to wait until you're ready to serve your cupcake before placing it on top.

Happy Faking!

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Candy Apple vs Caramel Apple

It's getting close to one of my most favourite holidays - HALLOWEEN! I can't decide what I like more about this holiday...making my costume or getting candy! Now that I'm too old to trick or treat (note: I did not say too small, those who know me would understand why) I feel like I put more effort into this holiday than ever.  So naturally I will be making Halloween themed cupcakes for some upcoming fun.

This year, I will be hosting a cupcake off between two natural Halloween competitors...well... natural in my mind.  First up is the Candy Apple - a hot cinnamon treat with a tough exterior.  It's competitor, and biasedly my favourite, the Caramel Apple - a sweet caramel treat with a chewy-gooey exterior that makes parents and dentists cringe.

Both the Candy Apple and Caramel Apple will be cupcake-ified for this round.  A select group of friends and colleagues who get try them also get to vote for their favourite.  Who will win?  Everyone who gets to try them of course:)  But the cupcake with the most votes will get bragging rights in their feature recipe post.  And so my Saturday baking begins! 

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Bring on the Bacon Cupcake

What more do you need than the name...Bring on the Bacon!  But if you really need to be persuaded, I made these as part of my IWK debts some time ago and one of the recipients said "the Bring on the Bacon Cupcakes are like an awesome breakfast pastry and dessert in one."  So there you have it....yum! To make this bacon delight you'll need...

• White Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water - but we're replacing the water with Milk)
• Milk (to replace the water)
• 2 cups grated Cheddar Cheese (or whatever cheese you want really)
• 1 cup Bacon Bits (plus more for the top if you want) 
• Store Bought White Icing
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• Garnish Ideas: Bacon Bits, 1/4 slice of bacon

Here's the recipe...

Step 1: Follow the directions on your White Cake Mix from preheating your oven through to adding the oil, eggs, but don't add the water. Instead, replace the water your recipe calls for with Milk.  Mix the ingredients together until it is smooth. Stir in 2 cups of grated Cheddar Cheese and then stir in 1 cup of Bacon Bits.

Step 2: Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners and bake as directed on the package.  Once they are done baking, let them cool completely.

Step 3: For the icing, mix together your White Icing and butter on high until smooth.  Taste your icing and if it's it's not sweet enough for you or too buttery add in some icing sugar. Top your cupcake with the icing using a piping bag, knife, or spoon it on - whatever you prefer.  To garnish, I sprinkled a few Bacon Bits on top, but you could go big and add 1/4 slice of fried bacon....just make sure you blot the grease off and let it cool!

Happy Faking!

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