I present:

Cranbery Apple Cupcakes with Whipped Cranberry Topping

A simple yet delicious cupcake combining sweet macintosh apples and whole jellied cranberries.  A fairly dense cupcake it would do well served with coffee and could even replace a good slice of apple pie with no complaints from guests.  The light cranberry topping adds an extra layer of flavour and really adds that cranberry punch.  As well, my husband ate two for breakfast stating, “These are awesome!”

Cranberry Apple Cupcakes

• 1/4 Cup Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
• 6 Small Macintosh Apples peeled and chopped
• 1 1/4 Cups Packed Brown Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Canola Oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon Vanilla
• 2 1/4 Cups Flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt

1. Oven 350*F
2. Mix brown sugar, oil, cinnamon, vanilla on medium speed.  Add eggs one at a time.
3. Sift dry ingredients slowly add to wet ingredients.
4. Add Cranberry Jelly on medium speed.  Mix in apples.
5. Fill liners 1/2 to 3/4 full and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Whipped Cranberry Topping

• 2 Cups Whipping Cream
• 1 Cup Cranberry Jelly

1. Beat cream until soft peaks form. 
2.  Add jelly.  Beat until stiff. 
3. Eat with spoon.

Voting is open earlier than I expected for this month’s Iron Cupcake Challenge!  Head over to No One Puts Cupcake in a Corner and VOTE FOR NACHO!

Introducing….

The Nacho.

That’s right people.  A nacho cheese cupcake.  Nacho cheese chips, brown sugar and hot ooey gooey fabulous nacho cheese dip.  Crunchy, cheesy, spicy and oh – so – delicious.  This may just be the first official appetizer cupcake because there is nothing sweet about this bad boy.  And just in case you might think it’s not cheeeeesy enough I made sure to top it off with a salsa cream cheese frosting, shredded cheddar, mozzarella, more salsa and fresh ground pepper.  It’s simply mightifabulocheeserrific.

Voting begins the first week of November so make sure you head over to No One Puts Cupcake in a Corner and VOTE FOR NACHO!

The Nacho

• 1 Small bag (3/4 Cup) Ariba Nacho Cheese Chips finely crushed
• 1 package Old El Paso Nacho Cheese Dip (Prepared as per instructions and slightly cooled approx 1 Cup)
• 1 1/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 Cup brown sugar packed (more for sprinkling on top)
• 1/4 Cup Butter melted and cooled
• 1 large egg

1. Oven 400*F makes 1 dozen standard size cuppies.
2. Combine chips, flour, brown sugar, powder in large bowl.  Add melted butter, cheese, and egg.  Stir until just moistened.
3. Fill 3/4 full. Sprinkle with brown sugar.  Bake 15-20.  Cool in pan.

Salsa Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz Cream Cheese (softened)
• 1/4 Cup Salsa (not chunky.  Otherwise blend in food processor)

1. Blend together. 
2. Put on cupcake.
3. Consume the awesome deliciousness.