Toffee Apple Cupcakes

These are another design of my own.
They are an apple cake, with a toffee/caramel based frosting, topped with a caramel sugar shard.

Cake Ingredients

180g cubed apple
180g smooth apple sauce
360g self raising flour
300g light muscovado sugar
160g butter
4 eggs
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Method

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
Add the eggs, flour and bicarbonate of soda, alternating to prevent it curdling.
Fold in the chopped apple and apple sauce.
Spoon in cake cases and bake at 170 degrees C for 15-20 mins until cooked.
Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.


Frosting Ingredients

300g butter
75g soft brown sugar
4 tbsp milk
350g icing sugar

Place 75g of the butter in a pan with the sugar and heat on low until melted.
Add 3 tbsp of the milk and stir until golden brown.
Leave it to cool.
Beat the remaining butter and the icing sugar until smooth.
Add the cooled toffee sauce and combine.
Beat until it is soft and of a good consistency. If the mix seems too wet add some more icing sugar, if it is too dry add some milk.


Sugar Shards

Put 200g granulated sugar in a heavy based saucepan over a low heat (Don't stir it)
Tip the pan from side to side to help heat it evenly.
Once it starts to colour swirl it until it turns a dark gold.
Quickly put the pan into cold water to stop it from cooking anymore, then tip the liquid onto a greased baking tray, or silicone sheet.
If the mix has hardened too much then put it back on the heat until it is soft enough to pour.
Leave to cool and break into pieces.