Spiced Cupcakes with an Apple Compote Center and a Cream Cheese Cinnamon Buttercream

These cupcakes are sexy. Yes, I just described a cupcake as sexy but I really mean it. They are a spiced cake with an apple compote filling and a cream cheese cinnamon buttercream. Sexy right? Im telling you, this is a must bake for this fall. Enjoy this recipe and tag me in your creations on instagram @thesqueakymixer.

Happy Baking!!

CAKE INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/4 cups milk

CAKE INSTRUCTIONS

Turn on your oven set to 350 degrees F. and fill 24 cupcake pans with liners.

Beat your butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment at medium speed until everything is combined and there are no lumps. Make sure to scrape down your bowl as you go.

Add your eggs and vanilla to your butter mixture. Continue mixing until everything is fully combied. Remember to scrape your bowl regularly.

In a separate bowl combine all of you dry ingredients and whisk everything together.

Alternate adding your flour mixture and milk to your mixer starting and ending with the flour mixture. Let everything mix together completely.

Fill your cupcake liners half way and bake for about 15-17 minutes or untill cupcakes bounce back after soflty pressing on the top. Gently remove them from the pan and allow to cool on a baking rack. Try your best to resist eating them until they are completely assembled. I have total faith in you.....kinda.

APPLE COMPOTE INGREDIENTS

2 honey crisp apples (peeled and finely chopped)

1 granny smith apple (peeled and finely chopped)

1/4 brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. lemon juice

APPLE COMPOTE INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all of your ingredients over medium-high heat in a medium sized sauce pot. Let simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until it has a thicker consistency. Let cool completely before filling your cupcaakes.

CINNAMON BUTTERCREAM INGREDIENTS

1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)

4-5 cups powdered sugar

1-2 tsp. heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 Tbs. cinnamon

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

CINNAMON BUTTERCREAM INSTRUCTIONS

Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attatchment combine the butter and powdered sugar on a low speed until there are no lumps.

Add heavy whipping cream to your desired consistency. Go ahead and add the cinnamon and vanilla being sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go.

MAKING EVERYTHING LOOK SEXY

This is always my favorite part, watching everything you labored with love come together. You want to make sure that your cupcakes and apple compote are both completely cooled before you begin. Ready?!

You'll want to start by taking a small paring knife and cutting a small circle out of the top of the cupcake cutting down about halfway through the cupcake so you create a little cup to hold the apple compote. *Make sure to save the tops of the circles that you cut out.*

Piping bags are optional for this part but I prefer to use them, piping just makes me happy. You'll want to fill a piping bag with your apple compote and fill up those little cups that you just created. Once you've filled each cupcake go ahead and cover the top with the circles you cut out in the step before. If you don't want to use a piping bag for this part it's as simple as just taking a spoon and filling in the cups you cut out.

More piping! Now you'll want to fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip with your cinnamon buttercream. Pipe all those cupcakes baby!! Using a circular motion starting on the outside, pipe around your cupcake building up making sure not to over do it with the frosting. Unless you're a frosting person then by all means, pipe your heart out.

Enjoy your sexy creations and please share your experience and tag me on instagram @thesqueakymixer and message me there if you have any questions. Happy baking!