Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Cook's notes: These moist cupcakes have hints of spice, apples and caramel. They are the perfect treat for your Halloween weekend. The caramel sauce may need warming in the microwave so it's easier to pour. 

Recipe adapted from Tide and Thyme and makes 18-20

Cake Ingredients:

• 2-3/4 cups flour
• 1 TB. baking powder
• 1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• dash of nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. allspice
• 3/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp.salt
• 1 stick margarine and 1 stick butter (room temperature)
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 TB.vanilla
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup caramel sauce from a jar (room temperature)

Cake Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. Set aside.
• Whisk in  a bowl flour, spices, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In another bowl cream sugar, butter and margarine.  Beat for 4 minutes until fluffy.
• Mix in eggs one at a time and beat well.
• Mix buttermilk and vanilla in a measuring cup and add to butter/margarine mixture. Mix well. 
• On low speed alternate dry ingredients with wet ingredients and mix just until incorporated. 
• With a wooden spoon add in apples, caramel sauce and mix until incorporated.
• Divide the batter evenly filling each cupcake liner 3/4 full.
• Bake 18-20 minutes.  

Frosting Ingredients:   

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup caramel sauce 
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 TB. softened butter
• 1 tsp.vanilla
• fat free half and half

Frosting Directions:

• Beat all ingredients until frosting is smooth using only as much half and half as needed for correct frosting consistency.

Caramel Apple Dip

All my stainless steel appliances including bread box, toaster and coffee pot are gleaming and look brand new as a result of using a little olive oil on a soft paper towel. I just rubbed the olive oil on paper towel and buffed the surfaces of the appliances. So this got me to thinking perhaps there are other uses for olive oil besides cooking that I may have overlooked. Indeed there are from home improvement hacks to beauty tricks.

1. Silence a squeaky door.
Lubricate a sticky hinge or creaky knob with a few drops of oil to quiet an irritating noise without harsh chemicals or a toolbox.

2. Free a stuck zipper.
If your jacket’s zipper pull just won’t budge, try rubbing the teeth with a cotton swab dipped in olive oil. It should help ease it back on track.

3. Moisturize your body.
Packed with good fats and nutrients, a little bit of olive oil soothes crusty cuticles, relieves dry skin, fights frizzy hair, and can even fill in for shaving cream in a pinch.

4. Return rain boots’ luster.
If your rubber wellies get chalky after a few wears, rub them with olive oil to erase the white marks. Avoid getting oil on the soles, though; it may cause you to slip next time you put them on.

5. Remove eye makeup.
Swipe your lids with a cotton pad dipped in a bit of oil to free your face of mascara and eyeliner.

6. Shine a stainless steel sink.
A light coating will make your sink gleam again, and prevent future water spots from showing up.

7. Make a great skin scrub.
Plan a DIY spa day by mixing inexpensive olive oil, sugar, and lemon zest to create a sweet-smelling exfoliator (save the pricier, tastier oil for drizzling over steak or crostini).

8. Remove paint from hair.
If your home-improvement weekend leaves your head matching your freshly painted wall, use olive oil to ease the color out of your strands.

This link gives 12 unexpected beauty uses with olive oil
http://www.allure.com/beauty-trends/blogs/daily-beauty-reporter/2014/06/diy-beauty-uses-for-olive-oil.html