Apple Tree Cupcakes

By Shaheen Serazee
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For a step-by-step of how to make this apple tree cupcake recipe, watch this short video:

Yield: 8-9 cupcakes

These are the cutest fall apple tree cupcakes! You need a few supplies to transform these apple spice cupcakes into apple tree cupcakes!

Ingredients:

Apple Tree Pops
pretzel sticks
green candy melts
red ball candies
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Apple Spice Cupcakes

    1 cup all purpose flour
    1/2 tsp baking soda
    1 tsp baking powder
    1/4 tsp salt
    1/2 tsp cinnamon
    1/4 tsp cloves
    1/4 tsp allspice
    1/2 stick butter, room temperature
    1/2 cup brown sugar
    1 egg
    3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

Buttercream

1 stick butter, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (or substitute with butter)
2-3 cups of powdered sugar
kelly green and brown food coloring
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Directions:

Apple Tree Pops

Melt the green candy melts. Place pretzel sticks on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. Spoon the green chocolate over the tops of the pretzels then add a few red ball candies to each tree. Allow them to harden completely before removing them from the mat.

APPLE SPICE CUPCAKES

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a muffin pan with 8-9 liners.

In a small bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Mix well.

In a larger bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar. Beat using an electric mixer until creamy, about 1 minute.

Add in the egg, beat again with the mixer.

Add in the applesauce, mix by hand with a spatula.

Gradually add in the flour mixture, mixing by hand until it’s incorporated.

Use a cookie scoop to divide the batter among the liners, bake for 13-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.

Buttercream

In a mixing large bowl, combine the butter and vegetable shortening, beat using an electric mixer until fluffy, 2 minutes.

Begin to add the powdered sugar, about 1-2 cups at a time, mixing by hand first, then with the electric mixer. Continue adding powdered sugar until the frosting tastes good to you. Reserve a small amount of buttercream to color brown. Add kelly green food coloring to the remaining buttercream, mix until combined. Transfer the green buttercream to a piping bag fit with a grass piping tip. Add brown food coloring to the small amount of reserved buttercream, mix well, and transfer to a piping bag fit with a small round piping tip.