Autumn Rose Cupcakes (2024)

Spiced Apple Cupcake Ingredients List

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, mounded

1 sprinkle nutmeg (optional)

1 sprinkle clove (optional)

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, at room temperature

3/4 cup reduced fat buttermilk, at room temperature

3 cups shredded apples, liquid squeezed out

1/4 teaspoon baking soda (optional)

Cheesecake Center Ingredients List

1 package of cream cheese (8oz), at room temperature

1/3 cup of sour cream

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Apple Rose Ingredients List

5-6 medium apples, halved, cored and sliced thin

1 container (64oz) cranberry juice

1/4 cup sugar

Other Supplies List

Cupcake tray

24 cupcake paper liners (you can also use butter if you prefer)

Dry and wet measuring utensils

Large pot

Strainer

2 mixing bowls

Mixing spoons or electric mixer

Sharpe knife

Cutting board

Cheese grater

Optional parchment or wax paper

Optional Additions

Caramel sauce

Pie crust leaves

Add the sugar and the cranberry juice into a large pot and set aside.

Select at least 5 medium apples. I used 2 Gala, 2 Fuji, and 1 mystery apple simply because it was a gorgeous red color. Cut the apples in half (as if you were going to slice it up for a snack) and remove the core. Place the apple flat side down and thinly slice the apple all the way across. Add the slices to the pot at the end of each apple half to help prevent browning of the flesh. Once all the apples have been sliced place the pot on the stove and cook on medium heat until the slices are pliable. Caution: Be careful not to overcook the apples to where they turn to mush. Move onto Step Four: Spices Apple Cupcake Mix, while the apple slices are heating up and cooking.

*Optional-You can also use an apple core/peel/slicer. You will want to disengage the part that removes the skin since you want it intact. I personally prefer to hand slice because you can make the slices thinner making them easier to work with. However, the core/peel/slicer is great if you are in a time crunch.

*Optional- I have never owned one, but I would imagine a mandolin slicer could also make quick and consistent slices.

Combine the following dry ingredients in a bowl, lightly mix and set aside:

Flour

Baking Powder

Salt

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Clove

*Optional- Add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to make the cupcakes less dense and more fluffy.

Select at least four apples, wash and remove stickers. I used 3 Gala and 1 Fuji. You can peel all or none of the apples before grating. I choose to peel only half of the apples. Grate the apples on the large grater until you reach the core. Squeeze the juice out of the apple gratings and set aside. I squeezed the juice into the pot of apple slices still cooking on the stove. The gratings may turn brown before adding in the batter, but it is nothing to worry about.

Don't forget to keep checking on the cooking apple slices. Once pliable but not soggy, skip to Step Five: Apple Rose Prep Continued and then return to complete Step Four: Spice Apple Cupcake Mix, if necessary.

In a separate bowl stir the butter, making sure it is soft and smooth. Add the vanilla extract and the granulated and brown sugar. Mix until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time while continuing to mix. Once the ingredients appear consistently throughout, add the buttermilk, stirring slowly at first so it doesn't slosh out of the bowl. It will mix in quickly but will make the mix look gritty.

Add the bowl of mixed dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir until the mix is uniformly moist.

Add the shredded apples and fold into the batter until dispersed evenly in the mix. Set aside for the time being.

Once the apples are pliable but not soggy (ideally you should be able to have the apple touch ends without snapping in half) strain them from the cranberry mix so that they can cool. I like to stain over another pot so that I can keep the cran-apple juice for later.

Return to Step Four: Spiced Apple Cupcake Mix if it was not completed, and then move on to Step Six: Cheesecake Center Mix.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put cupcake liners in the cupcake tray. Spoon fill the liners

1/2 to 2/3 full with the spiced apple cupcake batter. With your finger or a small spoon, put a divot in the middle of the batter. Take a small spoonful of the cheesecake mix and place in the divot and lightly smear around, being careful not to spread all the way to the edge.

*Option- In lieu of liners, you can butter or Crisco the cupcake moulding and lightly flour.

On a clean counter top, cutting board or piece of parchment paper, lay a row of apple slices overlapping one another, starting on the left and working to the right. You will want about 7 or eight slices for each row. The more slices, the fuller the rose will be but harder to roll. I find it best to use one or two of the smaller end apple slices at the beginning left hand side of the row and the larger middle slices as the row progresses to the right.

Once you have a row laid out, start rolling from the left hand side. The overlapping of the slices should make it roll continuously.

Once you get to the end of the line, carefully pick it up and place in the center of the cupcake mix and gently press into place. It just barely needs pressed into the mix as it will puff up around the slices as it cooks and the cupcake tray will help it hold its form. If your rose is very tight, you can use your fingers to unfurl the apple slice petals.

*Tip: I find it easiest to roll with my index fingers and thumbs while using my middle fingers to keep the rolled slices from squishing out the top and bottom as the roll progresses