Thankful for Cupcake Smorgasbords!

I came up with this Crazy Smorgasbord inside of one cupcake.

I wasn't even sure if it was possible. I am very thankful that it is.

The bottom layer of the cupcake is a Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crust.

I baked an apple crisp pie on the inside.

There is even a finely blended Cinnamon Toast Crunch on the inside of the apple crisp mixture.

I topped the Cupcake with a pretty swirl of Salted Caramel Frosting, mini apple crisp pies, and glittery crunchy pieces of Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

I was inspired by creating cupcakes out of favorite Thanksgiving desserts.

And I love Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

I lined the bottom of my cupcake liner with this Cinnamon Toast Crunch "crust". Created by mixing 2 T of melted butter with 2 Cups of Crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

Then I added my batter & a mini apple crisp pie.

The last step-hiding the pie under the batter.

You would never know the pie is there!

I baked the pie inside the cupcake at 350 for 25 minutes.

And this was the fabulous result.

A pie like crust at the bottom of the cupcake-made out of cereal.

A pie inside of the cupcake.

Tiny little flavor morsels of Cinnamon Toast Crunch mixed in with fresh apples.

Look how cute the cupcake looks from the back!

You can try it too.

Here is the recipe:

For The Cupcakes: 

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt

Liquid Ingredients:
½ cup whole milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Creaming Ingredients:
2 Eggs
3/4 Cup + 2 T Sugar
4 T Unsalted Butter

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crust Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Melted Butter
2 Cups of Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal, Finely Blended

Recipe for Cinnamon Toast Crunch Mini Apple Crisp Pies:


4 Baking Apples (sliced into tiny tiny tiny thin slices or squares so they fit inside of the mini pie crusts)

Pillsbury Pie Crust

1/4 C of All Purpose Flour

5 Tablespoons of Sugar

1/4 Tsp of Cinnamon (you can add more or less depending on how much cinnamon you like)

1/2 Cup of Finely Grounded Apple Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Apple Crisp Mix-I find this in the produce section by the apples. (This is the fastest way since everything else you are making with this recipe is from scratch! But feel free to make your own apple crisp if you have a great recipe).

2 - 3 Tablespoons of Melted Butter


DIRECTIONS (How cake & pie & cereal unite, step by step):

First, Prepare your Mini Pies:

Preheat the oven to 375.

1. Roll out your pie crust, and use your mini pastry tins as "cutters" for the pie crust that will fit nicely into your mini pie tin. You can set all the finished pie tins on a cookie sheet so they are oven ready.

2. Prepare the pie filling: Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice.

3. Toss your mini apple slices into the pie filling mixture.

4. Prepare your apple crisp mix. Pour the Apple Crisp mix into a bowl, and add the finely blended Cinnamon Toast Crunch with butter to the mixture. Blend together with clean hands , a whisk, or a knife until your apple crisp is crumbly and cinnamon-y.

5. Combine the Apple Pie filling & The Apple Crisp Mix together.

6. Use a small spoon or a mini cookie dough scoop to fill the pie crust in the pastry tins with the apple crisp blend.

7. Bake the pies on a cookie sheet in the oven at 375 for approximately 20 minutes-or until pie crusts are golden brown.

8. After the pies are done baking they will need to cool for 20 minutes before baking them inside of the cupcakes.


While your pies are baking, you can prepare your cupcake batter:

1. Sift your flour and whisk all of your dry ingredients together in one medium sized bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, combine your liquid ingredients and set aside.
3. In your Kitchen Aid Mixer, cream your butter and sugar together until fluffy.
4. Add eggs to your creamed mixture one by one.
5. Alternate the addition of the dry ingredients and the liquid ingredients until well blended.
6. Now that your batter is mixed, you can prepare your Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cupcake Crust.
7. Combine the Cinnamon Toast Crunch & Melted Butter in a small bowl.

Once your pies have cooled and your cake batter is mixed, you are ready to create a Pie & Cupcake Smorgasbord!

1. Line your Cupcake Pan with 12 Liners.
2. Sprinkle a small amount of Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crust Mixture on the bottom of your Cupcake Liner.
3. Scoop a small amount of batter-just enough to cover the bottom of the liner into your cupcake liner.
4. Place your apple crisp pie on top of the batter.Make sure the pie doesn't touch the bottom of the cupcake liner.
5. Scoop a small amount of batter and cover the apple crisp pie so it is hiding inside of the cupcake.
6. Repeat this with all 12 Cupcakes.
7. Bake at 350 for approximately 20-25 minutes depending on your oven.
8. Let the cupcakes cool before frosting.


Frosting Recipe:

Simple & Quick Salted Caramel Frosting

Ingredients Needed:

1 Pound of Butter (cut up into squares)
4 Cups of Powdered Sugar
3/4 Cup of Ready Made Caramel (You can find it in the ice cream section at the grocery store).
1 Tablespoon of Sea Salt
1 Tablespoon of Vanilla

Instructions:

1. Blend Butter Squares in your mixer until creamy and light like butter should be.

2. Pour the caramel into the butter, and enjoy this moment. (It looks really pretty when you do, swirls of light caramel in the butter! Yum!)

3. Blend your Butter & Caramel together until the mixture is a very light brown. Sadly, the swirls will disappear. But they have gone to a wonderful place.

4. Mix in Sea Salt.

5. Add The Vanilla Extract

6. Make sure your mixer is turned down low. (Unless you want snow showers of powdered sugar which could be fun in some kitchens..)

7. Gradually add the powdered sugar until the frosting looks light, airy, and dreamy.

8. Optional: You can add 1 Tablespoon of Milk or Heavy Whipping Cream if you want a more "spreadable" frosting.