Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cupcakes
Ingredients
Yellow cake mix, plus eggs, oil and water called for on box
8 full sheets of graham crackers, coarsely chopped (not crushed finely)
Large can apple pie filling
8 oz block cream cheese
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 0z bag caramel bits
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
Preheat oven to 350. Line 24 muffin cups with liners and sprinkle graham crackers in the bottom of each.
Prepare cupcake batter according to box directions. Fill each muffin cup with batter about 2/3 of the way full. Bake until tops spring back when lightly touched (about 12-15 minutes). Remove pans from oven and cool on cooling racks.
Once cupcakes are cool, cut the middles out. You can use a knife, but I prefer to use a large piping tip. I just insert it in the cupcake, push down, twist, and pull back out. Just make sure not to go down too far, maybe about 2/3 of the way, so the cupcake base is sturdy enough to hold the filling. Spoon apple pie filling in the cupcakes.
In the bowl of a mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and combined. Add powdered sugar and beat on medium-high for about a minute and a half. Frost cupcakes.
In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave caramel bits and cream for about 2 minutes, stirring every 20 seconds or so until fully melted. Spoon over cupcakes.
Store uneaten cupcakes in the refrigerator.
