Caramel Apple Cupcakes

When I found Baker's Royale's recipe for these doughnuts, I couldn't resist making them into cupcake form as well. I didn't change the recipe much, but then I topped it with a delicious salted caramel cream cheese frosting drizzled with extra salted caramel.

And I know I've totally been slacking on photos, but we ate all these and/or they went to work before I photographed them. I promise I'll try to do better with photographs!

Caramel Apple Cupcakes
Cupcakes
3/4 cup lukewarm water
2 tsp. dry active yeast
2 tsp. salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
3 small apples, skins on or off depending on your preference, diced
3 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup butter, melted
Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
Caramel Drizzle

Place  water, yeast, salt, eggs, sugar, apples, flour and butter in a bowl, using a spoon or a sturdy  spatula fold batter until evenly mixed. Let the dough rest at room temperature covered for two hours. Transfer dough to refrigerator, and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove dough from refrigerator. Line 24 cupcake tins, and divide dough evenly among cupcake liners.

Bake for about 18 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and transfer cupcakes to cooling rack.

To prepare frosting, first make caramel sauce and cool to room temperature. (You could use storebought caramel sauce.) Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar. Beat in most of caramel sauce, reserving 1/4 cup for drizzling on top of cupcakes. Pipe or spread frosting onto cupcakes. Drizzle with caramel sauce. Refrigerate to store, but bring to room temperature before eating. Makes 24 cupcakes.