Apple Cardamom Cupcake with Caramel Frosting

So being this is what my pantry looks like.

It doesn't look to bad until you look down and realize the steep steep basement stairs are right there. And then you realize to get a can of tuna you have to do some kind of wild monkey wriggling to get to it. And that's just not possible right now.

SO while the Brain endures making me my meals let me bring to your attention a delicious cupcake I made this fall.

This is what I call my Apple Cardamom Cupcake with Caramel Frosting. I actually made it shortly before I decided to start having a blog of my own. I only took a picture because I wanted my best friend T. to know what it looks like. OK, then I had to make them again to bring to DC for the hotel room that my sister Super G and I shared for my brother J's wedding.

So here's the Apple Cardamom Cupcake recipe. It's directly copied off Vanilla Garlic. They were such lovely and delicious cupcakes that I didn't change a thing about them. I suggest they are made exactly as so really because they truly are that good. Make sure you go and check out Vanilla Garlic because he has tons and tons of interesting, delicious, unusual cupcake recipes. It's really spectacular. And I think he manages to find the stupidest people on earth who make really bizarre comments to him. Garrett usually manages to give me a giggle.

Apple Cardamom Cupcakes

Makes 22 cupcakes / 350F oven

What You'll Need...

4 cups chopped apples (varieties that are good for baking - i.e. granny smith, gravenstein, Fuji)2/3 cups vegetable oil

2 cups of sugar

4 egg whites

3 cups of all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons of cardamom

1/2 teaspoon of ginger

What You'll Do...

1) Chop the apples and combine them with the sugar and let them macerate for one hour. Next add the oil and stir.

2) Preheat over to 350 degrees F (165 C).

3) Slightly beat egg whites just until a light foam appears. Combine them with the oil and apple mixture.

4) Sift the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices together. Stir into the apple mixture, and then place into cupcake papers about 3/4ths full.

5) Bake for 15 minutes undisturbed, then rotate the pan and cook for another 3-7 minutes, testing with a toothpick for doneness. Careful, as if the toothpick goes into an apple it will not come out clean, but cupcake may be done.

Then for the frosting I used Peabody's frosting from her Oh Lordy Good Pumpkin Butterscotch Cake. Really the cake as written is unbelievably delicious. Honest. I might try walking just to get a piece right now. OK, maybe first make the cake and then make more frosting for these cupcakes. Really she's got loads of distracting and yummy baked goods over there, but as usual I'm now distracted. Now go check out Culinary Concoctions by Peabody and see all her yummies. Back? Good. Anyhow, I made the frosting again as the perfect accompaniment to Garret's cupcakes. So here's that recipe and again, don't change it a bit from the original. So delicious I could just eat it with a spoon...

Brown Sugar Icing

2 cups tightly packed brown sugar

1 cup heavy cream

½ pound unsalted butter, cut into 8 1-ounce pieces

¼ tsp cream of tartar

Heat brown sugar, heavy cream, 2 1-ounce pieces of butter, and ¼ tsp cream of tartar in a 3 quart saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently while bringing the mixture to a boil. Allow the mixture to continue boiling while stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Transfer the bubble hot mixture to a 3-quart stainless steel bowl and allow to stand at room temperature for 1 hour before proceeding. Place the cooled mixture int the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on low for 30 seconds. Then beat on medium for 2 minutes, while adding the remaining 6 pieces of butter, one at a time, until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to high and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on high for an additional 1 minute until light and fully. Transfer 1 cup of icing to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, and place in the refrigerator until needed.