Apple Cinnamon Streusel Cupcakes

LAUREN:

So we are now officially not limited to 'Cupcakes' by Christabel something! My parents bought us this cupcake book because they knew that one book would not be able to sustain our love for these adorable mini cakes. Although I would still call the first book my favorite because of it's style and photos, this books recipes sound SO GOOD. There is a lot more variety and a lot more choices, the only letdown: not many photographs, and is sometimes worded weird. But all in all we really like this book and are looking forward to making more from it! It's titled 'Cupcakes!' (so different from the last book, right?!) by Elinor Klivans. Also maybe weirdest author name ever. But no matter! Today is Fathers Day, so I decided to ask my dad which cupcakes he wanted us to make for him, and these Apple Cinnamon Streusel Cupcakes were the ones he chose.

As we were mixing the ingredients for the batter, I had the greatest revelation, even though I had always known it, it just became extra clear: Cinnamon and apple is probably the best combination that has ever existed when it comes to food and cooking. I mean honestly, if someone was about to jump off a cliff, I would run over with some cinnomon and sugar-drenched apple pieces and would stick them up their nose--they would be fine! I am also going to write to Bath and Body Works asking for an Apple Cinnamon wallflower.. because right now there is only apple. And let me tell you, putting them together makes all the difference in the world.

So, to start these cupcakes off you grate the apple. We didn't grate ours very fine, but it doesn't matter all that much seeing as most of the apple melts in the batter while being cooked. Then you mix in 2tbs of cinnamon sugar mixture. You can stop right there. Okay maybe not. But really. I could eat that for hours. But it even tastes better once mixed with the wet and dry ingredients! As far as ingredients go for these cupcakes, it's pretty standard. We weren't missing anything (apart from eggs, which Kelsey brought), and it was all very simple to make. The only part that got a tiny bit complicated was the amount and layers of batter into the pans.

First you put in 2tbs of the batter into each cup. Then, you sprinkle on a half tsp of the cinnamon sugar. After this, you add more batter--the instructions weren't very specific as to how much, but we added the rest of the batter from the bowl and that turned out pretty well. Then you melt butter to put on top of the batter. The instructions told us to "brush on with a pastry brusher." Okay no that is not a direct quote because I can't remember what the name of the thing was, but still, how do you brush butter on batter? That is a sticky mess right there. Good thing my family doesn't own a pastry brusher so we never had to figure that one out. We just poured it right on, evenly on each cupcake. Let me just tell you now, that this butter (and the rest of the cinnamon sugar that you put on top of this) sunk to the bottom of the cupcakes after they came out of the oven--we had to wipe off the bottom of each one because it was so greasy! But this did not change or ruin the taste of the cupcakes at all!

These cupcakes were phenomenal warm, especially with a cold glass of milk! We gave them 10 minutes to cool and didn't do a fancy flip-over like the directions said, we get too impatient. Or maybe just me. But they were so good! My parents even loved them, which was the most important thing. As Kelsey pointed out, these cupcakes would taste great if baked in the morning so they'd still be warm, which I totally agree with. Not to mention, I laughed pretty hard when they came out of the oven because of Kelsey's comment, "They look like old people faces." It is true these aren't the most attractive cupcakes ever, but they are pretty up there on the tastiest list.

Another important point to discuss is our latest cupcake packaging! No Zoe, we will nay be selling our cupcakes at farmers markets, ha! These cupcakes are made because of the fun time we have making them, how good they taste, and how we can share those with people close to us! So we bought little white boxes and tissue paper to box them up all cutsie. Also, Kelsey made the best logos EVER, so now we are awesome and official. Not to mention it makes the cupcake boxes look even better, and it has a great color scheme!

Yes, and the picture right above wins best picture ever award.


Kelsey:

I do think that the boxes and stickers give it a more profesh style and a better overall taste to the cupcakes, and I can't wait until we get fancy paper liners. (Not that these need any help tasting better.) I don't think that anything will top the white chocolate chip cupcakes but these are my second fave. They both didn't have frosting so I don't know what that means, but these were so moist from the apple and tasty from the spices that I instantly fell in love. I did like this new book and instead of pictures they have mouth watering descriptions in front of each recipe, and they turned out very well. So pleased.

Zoe:
Once again I got the best of both worlds- I got to eat one of these marvelous cakes even though I contributed no work! Yay! These cupcakes were MY FAVORITE of ALL the cupcakes so far!!!!!!!!
I just loved everything about them. For frosted cupcakes, I still say that the Pretty in Yellow Cupcakes can't be beat in terms of frosting, but THESE were the BEST EVER in terms of tasty anything!!
My favorite part was that there was variation- they didn't taste or feel the same way all the way through. The top part had that sugary texture, a subtle crispness. So yummy! The middle part was just a really nice cake texture. Not too moist but not too dry. And the bottom part was delicious buttery goodness!!!
I don't really have anything to add. These were just so good!