Whether you call them toffee or candy apples (or ‘Pommes d'Amour’ in France!), they make great cupcakes and they’re one of our favourite treats. Spread the frosting in a dome shape to resemble an apple, and finish with popsicle sticks!
muffin pan lined with 12 muffin cases
lollipop/popsicle sticks, to decorate (optional)
Makes 12
Preheat the oven to 190˚C/375˚F/ Gas 5.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
Put the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until pale and fluffy. Stop occasionally to scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the toffee fudge/butterscotch caramel sauce.
Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients and grated apple and beat on low speed until combined. If the mixture seems too thick, add a little milk.
Divide the mixture between the muffin cases. Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes or until well risen and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
While the cupcakes are cooling down, make the toffee buttercream.
Put the butter in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until very soft and smooth. Add one third of the sugar, beat, then add the vanilla. Beat in another third of the sugar, then the toffee fudge/butterscotch caramel sauce. Finally, beat in the remaining sugar. Add about 1 or 2 tablespoons of water if the mixture seems too stiff.
Spread the frosting over the cold cupcakes using a spatula, making it into a neat dome shape. Top with a thin apple wedge, drizzle with more toffee fudge/butterscotch caramel sauce and stick a couple of lollipop/popsicle sticks (if using) in the cupcake to resemble toffee apples.