Apple Cupcakes with Maple Frosting

Summer went into Autumn too quickly for my liking this year. Autumn too is fading fast into Winter with all the Christmas festivities approaching. This is definitely an Autumn recipe- Enjoy.

Ingredients
Cake Batter:
3oz Softened unsalted butter
10oz Golden caster sugar
8 1/2 oz Plain flour
1 level tsp Mixed spice
2 Large eggs
8 1/2 fl.oz Full fat milk milk
1/4tsp Vanilla extract or paste

Apple Filling:
2 Eating apples- peeled and chopped
knob of butter
2 tbsps caster sugar
juice of 1/4 Lemon

Maple Frosting
3oz Full fat cream cheese-at room temp
3oz Unsalted butter- at room temp
9oz Icing sugar
1 1/2 tbsp Maple syrup

chopped up fudge to sprinkle on top (optional)

Method

Preheat the ovent to 190 degC (170 degC fan, Gas Mark 5)

Place all the ingredients for the apple filling in a small saucepan, cover and cook over a medium heat until softened stirring occasionally. Leave to cool

Place the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, and mixed spice in a free standing mixer or use a bowl with a electric hand whisk. Mix until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Measure the milk into a large jug then add the eggs and the vanilla extract. Beat lightly and add 2/3 of this egg mix to the dry  ingredients. Mix until a thick batter is formed then add the rest of the egg mix. Whisk on high/medium speed for a couple of minutes until everything is incorporated.

Pour the cake batter into cupcake/muffin cases in a muffin tray. Bake for 18-20minutes.Check the cakes after this time with a skewer. If a skewer inserted into the middle of a cake comes out clean then the cakes a re ready, otherwise give them a couple of minutes more.

Allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile make the icing. Mix the butter with icing sugar first in a mixer or with a hand held electric whisk. Then add the cream cheese and the maple syrup and mix on a high speed for a couple of minutes until a smooth paste is formed. Transfer to an icing bag with a star nozzle.

When the cakes and filling are cool, cut out the centre of the cakes about 2/3down and 2cm diameter- save these 'plugs'. Add a teaspoon of apple to each cake then replace the tops. (You may have to trim the bottoms of the plugs to make them fit)

Ice the cakes with the cream cheese frosting in swirls. Alternatively the frosting can be spread onto the cakes then swirled about with a flat knife. Sprinkle with fudge pieces.

Ta dah!