Fall Apple Cupcakes

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
2. 2
   In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
3. 3
   Using your KitchenAid(R) Artisan(R) Mini Stand Mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy and pale in color, about 4 minutes.
4. 4
   Beat in the egg on medium high speed until just combined. Lower the speed on the Mini Mixer and mix in the flour and milk until fully incorporated.
5. 5
   Mix in the grated apple, taking care not to overmix the batter as it can toughen the cupcakes.
6. 6
   Spoon the cupcake batter into your lined cupcake pan. The recipe should yield roughly 12 cupcakes.
7. 7
   Bake for roughly 20-25 minutes or until firm to the touch. Set aside to cool completely.
8. 8
   For the frosting
9. 9
   Fit the whisk attachment to the Mini Mixer and beat the softened butter on medium speed for 3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add sifted powdered sugar one spoonful at a time until all the sugar has been incorporated. Add milk and mix on high for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
10. 10
    Reserve 1-2 tablespoons of frosting and add green food coloring to desired color. To the remaining frosting, add red food coloring until it resembles the color of an apple.
11. 11
    Fit a piping bag with a star nozzle and fill the bag with the red buttercream frosting. Decorate the tops of the cupcakes to look like apples. You can use a piping tip with a large V notch to create the leaves and break the pretzels in half to create the stems. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.