Fruit cake - Apple Pie Cupcakes

Makes 8

Ingredients:

Fruit cake - Cake:

•             3/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour

•             3/4 tsp baking soda

•             1/2 tsp baking powder

•             1/2 tsp cinnamon

•             1/4 tsp nutmeg

•             1/4 tsp sea salt

•             1/2 cup maple sugar

•             1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk (the thick kind, I prefer Thai Kitchen brand) at room temperature

•             1/2 cup apple sauce

•             1 tsp pure vanilla extract

•             1 Tbsp cider vinegar

 

Filling:

•             2 small tart sweet organic apples (such as Honeycrisp), diced into 1/2 inch pieces

•             1 Tbsp maple syrup

•             1/4 tsp cinnamon

•             2 tsp lemon juice

•             1 tsp cornstarch

 

Frosting:

•             1 cup canned full-fat coconut milk (you want to use a brand that is at least 3/4 of the can thick cream or it will not work for this recipe, I like Thai Kitchen brand)

•             1/4 cup cashew butter

•             2 Tbsp maple syrup

•             1/8 tsp sea salt

•             1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp melted coconut butter (not coconut oil), warmed to liquid

 

Fruit cake - Apple Pie Cupcakes Instructions:

 

1. Center the oven rack and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Grease or line eight muffin pans with paper liners.

3. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the flour, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt.

4. In a small basin, thoroughly mix the coconut milk, apple sauce, and vanilla. Then, whisk into the flour mixture until thoroughly combined.

5. Stir the batter with the cider vinegar.

6. Spoon the cake mixture into the lined pans.

7. Put in the oven and bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean with only a few moist crumbs attached.

8. Take out of the oven and allow it to cool fully.

9. In the meantime, prepare the apples by combining them with cinnamon, maple syrup, and a pot over medium heat. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the apples become mushy.  Stir in the cornstarch and lemon juice, then heat until the sauce thickens around the apples.  Allow to cool.

10. Fill each cupcake with the cooked apples after using a teaspoon to remove about a huge teaspoon of cake from the centre.

11. In a high-speed blender, add all the ingredients for the frosting and blend until fully smooth.  Transfer into a bowl and refrigerate until it reaches the consistency of stiffly whipped cream, which may require up to 45 minutes, depending on the temperature.  When it's ready, refrigerate until the right time to frost.

 

12. Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag and pipe it over the cupcakes when you're ready to assemble them.

13. Have fun! If you have any leftover cupcakes, refrigerate them.

Cupcakes can be kept for up to a week in the refrigerator when covered.

Notes: You can use either coconut sugar or regular granulated sugar for the maple sugar if that's what you'd like.

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