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Apple Cupcakes Recipe | Video

Bite Into an Apple Cupcake That's Filled With Pop Rocks

A poisonous red apple is the ultimate symbol of the showdown between Snow White and the Evil Queen, Regina, on Once Upon a Time. While these red apple cupcakes (thankfully) won't put you under a spell, they certainly will surprise you thanks to a secret ingredient that's tucked inside.

Magical Apple Cupcakes

Adapted from About.com

Magical Apple Cupcakes

Ingredients

  1. For the cupcakes:
    2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    3 teaspoons baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
    1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
    1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
    1 cup granulated sugar
    2 large eggs
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 cup apple butter
    3/4 cup milk
  1. For the frosting:
    1 cup butter, at room temperature
    5 cups powdered sugar
    1/2 cup apple butter
    1 tablespoon vanilla
  1. To decorate the cupcakes:
    6 packs Pop Rocks
    Red sanding sugar
    20 mini pretzel sticks
    4 Green Apple Airheads

Directions

  1. Make the cupcakes: Heat oven to 350°F. Line muffin pan with cupcake papers.
  2. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Set aside.
  3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Beat in the apple butter until well blended.
  4. Slowly add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk. Beat until smooth and well blended.
  5. Fill cupcake papers a little over 2/3 full (you want them to cook up in a dome shape), and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
  6. Cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan, and cool completely before frosting.
  7. Make the frosting: Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Add apple butter and vanilla, and mix until smooth.
  8. Decorate the cupcakes: Core cupcake, and fill with Pop Rocks. Cover cupcake core with cake. Frost cupcake to create a dome shape. While frosting is still wet, dip into red sanding sugar covering frosting completely. Decorate cupcake with green candy shaped like a leaf and pretzel stick as a stem.
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