Applesauce Spice Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting


Applesauce Spice Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting.  Now there's a mouth full! You won't mind the long name, however, once you bite into this deliciously moist, perfectly flavored cupcake.


While this recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes book, I immediately made a substitution.  Oil.  I've tried several cupcake recipes with butter, and have come to the conclusion that canola oil delivers a moister product. Attention bakers: Butter is not the ultimate panacea.  

Now don't go all Paula Deen on me.  If you want to use butter, I won't judge.  This is just my own personal conclusion.  I also feel better about myself knowing that I'm using a healthy fat in my cupcakes.

I'm going to ignore the fact that I just used healthy and cupcakes in the same sentence.


So after you've blended your healthy fat, eggs and sugar, add your dry ingredients.  Feel even better about yourself because you used whole wheat flour!  Now if you feel like doing dishes, feel free to whisk your dry ingredients in a separate bowl first and then add then add them to your wet ingredients.  I don't like to do dishes.


Next, add your applesauce.  I used the slow cooker applesauce that I posted yesterday.  It's so yummy!


Pour your batter into 18 - 20 lined muffin tins.


When they are cool, top with the Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting. This frosting really does have a unique flavor. Initially, it feels a bit granular because of the brown sugar, but after a few hours, the sugar seemed to dissolve into a smoother frosting. 


These cupcakes are moist, delicious and the perfect taste of fall!


Applesauce-Spice Cupcakes
Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

1/2 cup canola oil
4 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 cups white, whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/2 cups applesauce
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. 
  2. With an electric mixer,  beat eggs, sugar and oil.
  3. Add dry ingredients and continue mixing.
  4. Mix in applesauce.
  5. Divide batter among 18 - 20 lined cups.
  6. Bake for 16 - 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
  7. Cool completely and then frost.


Brown-Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat ingredients until smooth.  Use immediately, or refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container.  Before using, bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth.



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Comments

These look so delicious! YUM! I'm making applesauce today and will need lots of recipes to make with it. :)
yes, despite my tag line, i will agree with you that oil works better in some cupcake recipes- for texture, but for taste...

and i'd have to say that i love the idea of a healthy cupcake! does that include the cream cheese frosting?
Elizabeth said…
Wow these look amazing! I don't need another apple cake/cupcake/dessert recipe, but I may have to make these anyway. YUM!

Visiting from TMTT,
Lizy
Marie said…
Wow...these cupcakes look really good! I have to make 48 cupcakes this weekend for my 1 yo nephew's bday party. I might just have to try your recipe. Thanks and happy Tea Tuesday!
-Marie
Unknown said…
you can not go wrong w/ these at all...such a wonderful flavor combo so I appreciate you linking it up this week for tea.
DebBee said…
Yummy!! I pinned it to my Cupcakes board on Pinterest! Can't wait to try them!
Anonymous said…
Yum! I've got loads of apple sauce in the freezer from our windfalls, this is just the way to use it up!
Great photos - I'm not usually a fan of cream cheese frosting, but adding brown sugar makes it so much more interesting to me. Thanks for sharing the recipe. It's getting pinned!

:)
ButterYum
4Sisters said…
These look delicious! I'd like to invite you to share them on Saturday at our Seasonal Inspiration party.

Becca @ Crumbs and Chaos
www.crumbsandchaos.blogspot.com
beautiful photos ! these looks so sweet and delicious. Happy to have found your blog :)
Am your new follower !

Linda @ Lemon Drop
http://lemondropsfoodie.blogspot.com/
Jenna said…
Your photos are beautiful and those cupcakes look amazing!!! I am pinning them now!

Thanks for linking up to It's a Keeper Thursday, I am co-hosting this week, hope you will stop by to say hi.
DeeAnna said…
Yum, these look delicious and apples and healthy fat make them health-food right?
Oh my...these look amazing! I will definitely have to try these out soon since I just made a batch of applesauce. I saw your link on This Chick Cooks. You have a really nice blog! I posted my brownie pops if you want to take a look :)
annies home said…
these sound delicious
Jennifer said…
These look so yummy! I'm featuring them today on my blog! I hope you'll stop by for a look!
Jen
Scissors & Spatulas
So beautiful. I'm seriously swept up with these photos. Thank you so much for sharing on Friday Food. Cheers!
Anonymous said…
Yum, these look amazing!
Unknown said…
These look so good. I don't know if I can wait to make them! I'm not supposed to bake for a couple weeks because I'm having trouble fitting into a bridesmaids dress I bought 2 months ago! Maybe if I put oil in everything I can get away with it... :)

Thanks!

Shannon @ Imperfectly-Inspired
Lisa said…
YUM!!! Saw these via tatertots & jello and I'm definitely whipping them up for my daughters' school party this month!!...and maybe...breakfast? hahaha
Miz Helen said…
These are just awesome cupcakes! Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful recipe with Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great week end and come back soon!
Miz Helen
jeanine said…
These look goooood!
Anonymous said…
Yum... I could eat the whole batch!
Jocelyn said…
Yum! Those look absolutely delicious!!! Saw this on Tatertots and Jello and I just had to stop by your blog!! I love it!!!
If its got applesauce in it it's practically health food! I've got a jar of last years sauce with cupcakes written on it now.

Found you on TT&J
Anonymous said…
Hi Rachel! Thank you for sharing this beautiful recipe at Simple Saturdays!

Maria @ A Platter of Figs
These look just so delicious! I am going to visit your slow cooker applesauce next!
KB said…
Looks good.

We'd love you to share your recipes with us at
Simply Delish Saturday
I should not...SHOULD NOT...be reading this at 12:32am. I was already hungry. Now I'm starving.
These look yummazing. (And yes, I just made that up. Ha!)

Great photog, too! :)
Megan said…
Yum! They look soooo good.
Anonymous said…
Oh, these look so good, I love the frosting idea (I may have to steal it for pumpkin muffins!)

Thanks for linking up to Momtrends this week.

~Shannon, Food Channel Editor, Momtrends.com
Kim McCallie said…
Oh, just the idea of brown sugar cream cheese frosting...yummy!!! I know that I would love these. I'm adding them to my to-do list of fall baking. Thanks for sharing on Sweet Indulgences Sunday.
What a delicious way to start my day, yum..thank you for sharing xo
rachaelk said…
Yum! Can't wait to make these!
Courtney said…
This is totally awesome! I just love it! I would love if you would come link this up at the Thursday Crazy Cute link party today!

www.betweenuandme.com
I'm your newest follower :) These cupcakes look amazing!!!! Brown sugar cream cheese frosting, be still my heart :) Delicious!
Courtney said…
I featured this post today on my blog! Come check it out! ;D

Www.betweenuandme.com
Chris said…
Hi Rachel, the cupcakes sound and look delicious. Thanks for sharing. I will have to make them. I recently found your blog and am now following. Please pop on over to mine and perhaps you will follow me also. I would like that. Hugs, Chris
lauramich said…
I'm planning a fall/apple theme for my son's second birthday party later this month, and I tested this recipe last night. It's a keeper!

I did make a few tweaks—I used AP flour, went a little heavier on the spices, and threw in about a cup of Hershey's cinnamon chips.

I think your observation about canola oil vs. butter is dead on, and I'm going to try using canola in other cupcake recipes as well.

Thank you!

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