Recipe of the Week: Cinnamon-Apple Cupcakes

Perfect recipe to start the first week of fall...the leaves are changing around Lake Tahoe and the house will smell great after baking these!

GinaMig  via  Flickr

Cinnamon-Apple Cupcakes

1 3/4 cups sugar - divided
1/2 cup butter - softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 ounces cream cheese (softened)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups finely chopped peeled Rome apples (about 2 large)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Beat 1 1/2 cups sugar, butter, vanilla, and cream cheese at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 4 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, beating at low speed until blended.

Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Combine 2 tablespoons cinnamon mixture and apples in a bowl, and stir apple mixture into batter.  Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full.

Bake at 350° degrees for 15-18 minutes, checking every minute after 15 minutes.  Cool completely.  You can dust lightly with confectioner's sugar, top with chopped apples or frost with cream cheese frosting.