Applesauce Cupcakes with Vanilla Caramel Frosting

I knew I wanted to do something fruity for them to taste and this one sounded so delicious.

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 Tbs buttermilk


Preheat your oven to 350 and line pan with paper liners.
Sift together the flour, baking power, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, allspice, nutmeg and salt into a small bowl.
In a large bowl cream the sugar and butter. Add egg, beating well. Mix in vanilla and beat until smooth. In a small bowl, mix together applesauce and buttermilk.
Alternately beat flour mixture and buttermilk mixture into butter mixture. Make two additions of applesauce and three of flour. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.
Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

I decided not to top them with buttercream because it's just way too sweet for me & it just didn't sound like a buttercreamy cupcake to me.
I used a frosting with whipping cream similar to the one I used on the oreo cookies & cream cupcakes.

for the frosting:
1 stick of butter, softened
1 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
pinch of salt
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp caramel flavoring

Mix together butter, sugar, and salt til creamy, then increase speed & beat it til it's nice & fluffy.
Add in the whipping cream & your extracts, mix it all up.

These tasted so light & delicious, not too unlike my apple banana muffins. Just without the banana of course.

I tried to color the icing a deep red but had just enough red for a nice hot pink. I decided it was destiny & went with the flow. Then I topped each one with a lovely slice of apple.