Apple Pie Vegan Cupcakes

I was born loving apples.
Whenever I was asked if I wanted juice,

I would pick apple over orange.
Same thing when I had any choice with fruit...
if there was something with apples, then my decision was really easy because I was going with the apple dish.

I guess the apple doesn't really fall far from the tree,
because my dad loves anything with apples too.
Apple pie was a staple growing up for holidays
and it continues to be something that can be found at family gatherings.

So when I was thinking about what kind of cupcakes I wanted to make for a friends' baby shower, I thought back to what she loved to order from me as a comfort food.  Immediately I knew...apple pie.  She orders my Dutch Apple Pie when she needs a little hug from my oven to her tummy, so making apple pie cupcakes with dutch apple crumbles seemed the perfect thing to spoil her.

~Apple Butter~

Apple Pie Cupcakes
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup non-dairy milk (soy, rice, coconut, almond- whichever you prefer)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 apple butter or cinnamon applesauce 
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbs.  non-dairy milk 
1 tsp vanilla extract
water- add a tsp at a time until you get the consistency that you would like.

Dutch Crumbles

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup melted vegan margarine

1/4 cup flour

1 cup quick oats

-------Stir all the ingredients together and broil until crispy.

Directions 
1. To make Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. Line 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and lightly spray the liners with oil spray.  Or use my favorite baking cups.  I LOVE these! 
3. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in bowl. 
4. Stir in non-dairy milk, apple butter, oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract.
5. Mix well. 
6. Fill liners 2/3 full and bake 20-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

7. Cool completely.

8. To make Icing: Beat all ingredients with electric mixer until smooth. 
Pipe onto cupcakes and sprinkle crumbles over the top. 

Let the cupcake icing set up a bit and then enjoy!

Apple Pie Bread-Vegan

In my family, there is nothing better than my Mom's apple pie.

She has this magical way of transforming simple ingredients

 into the most delicious thing you've ever tasted.

It's a beautiful mix of tart apples, cinnamon, and sugar,

that makes even those that don't like apple pie, 

re-think everything that they've ever though about pie.

Yes, it's that good.

It's so certifiably good,

that people (me) 

dream about the beautiful thing that is a classic apple pie.

I knew that if I was to ever call myself a baker, 

I too would have to master the gorgeous, simple beauty of my mom's pie.

It's taken a few years, 

but I feel that I can now say that I have it down...well, almost.

Somehow, her pie still tastes like Heaven on Earth to me. 

So I thought...

and I had a little time to think while sick this past week...

What if I made a bread that tasted like a little slice of pie?

Wouldn't that be fun and delicious?

Well, heck yeah it'd be fun!

But you be the judge,

does this taste like apple pie to you?

Apple Pie Bread (Vegan)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 egg equivalent with Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer
1 cup sugar
2 tbls vegan butter or shortening
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup oil
2 granny smith apples, sliced
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Icing Glaze Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
water to dissolve and make glaze

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Slice apples and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp cinnamon
2. Sift to combine flour, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
3. Use a mixer to blend together the egg-replacer, sugar, vegan butter, vanilla, and lemon juice in a medium bowl.
4. Pour wet ingredient into the dry ingredients and blend until smooth.
5. Add oil and mix well.
6. Layer 2/3 of the sliced apples in the parchment paper lined 9x5-inch loaf pan.

7. Pour batter on top of the apples.
8. Place the remaining apple slices on top of the batter. Optional: Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar (Not really optional in my world)

9. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick stuck into center of the bread comes out clean.
10. Let the bread cool completely before adding the glaze. Or opt out of adding a glaze...I did. It smelled too good to wait to glaze it.

Let the glaze set up before slicing. Or not.  :)
Either way, enjoy!

Pear + Apples = Sauce

It's been a busy week...but canning is relaxing for me.
I know...I weird.

I have a bucket of apples and a handful of pears. 
What better way to spend my day than making applesauce.
There are two recipes that I want to try.
One recipe is perfect for this adorable, smiley little girl that I know. She could use some all-natural, no additions, pear and apple goodness.
The second recipe is perfect for a cold winter day when I need some apple love with a hint of cinnamon.

Pear-Applesauce
Adapted from Simply Canning

Ingredients:
5 quarts peeled, cored, and sliced apples
1 quart peeled, cored, and sliced pears
1 cup water
4 Tbls. fresh lemon juice

Directions:
1. Pour water and lemon juice into a large pot.
2. As you peel, core, and slice your apples, place them in the pot with the lemon/water to prevent browning.

3. Bring the apples/pears to a simmer and cook down until it has the correct "saucy" consistency.

4. Canning: Fill sterilized pint jars to 1/2-inch headspace, then process in a water-bath canner for 25 minutes.

Applesauce
Recipe and Directions From Local Kitchen

Ingredients:
6 lbs local apples
6 cinnamon sticks
1 and 1/4 cups freshly pressed apple cider or juice
4 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp sea salt (I omitted this...)

Directions:
(Directly from Local Kitchen)
1. Measure lemon juice and cider into a large stockpot.

2.Peel, core and quarter apples. As you peel them, drop into the pot and toss in the lemon juice/cider to prevent browning.

3. Toast the cinnamon sticks: Using kitchen tongs and a heavy duty oven mitt, hold the cinnamon sticks, one or two at a time, over the flame of a gas range, turning frequently, for about 1 minute, until they darken and smell fragrant. Try not to burn them – if you hold them too close to the flame, they will flame and burn. You can also toast the sticks by laying them directly on a (clean) electric burner for about 20 to 30 seconds per side.

4. Add the cinnamon sticks and salt to the pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir well, then lower heat as low as it will go, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples break down to a saucy consistency (1 to 2 hours).

5. When the applesauce has achieved the desired consistency, taste and adjust salt if necessary; remove cinnamon sticks.

6. To can, fill sterilized pint or half-pint jars to 1/2-inch headspace. Process in a water-bath canner for 20 minutes.

My house smells amazing and I just love hearing the pop, pop, pop of the jars sealing.  Though this process took me all afternoon, the process was easy and the reward is great.  I can't wait to share these lovely jars with those I love.

And I can't wait to make more!!!

Butter Me up...with Apples

Most children love cake.  I wasn't like most children.

I'm not saying that I don't like cake.  I do.  I like cake just fine.  Especially if that cake is made by my mom...but nothing...I mean NOTHING compared to my love of the apple. 

When my birthday came around, I didn't want cake.  I wanted apple pie.  And not just any apple pie, my mom's apple pie.  I love apple pie, because I love apples.  Raw, baked, sauced...it doesn't matter, I love 'em!

So to continue my trend of preserving food for the winter, today I made apple butter.  Creamy, smooth, lovely apple butter.  It's like I warm hug from your mom.  No, really...it is.  If not your mom, then it's a warm hug from me.




Crockpot Apple Butter
recipe from Simple Canning
http://www.simplycanning.com/canning-apple-butter.html
This is a great site...tasty and simple recipes for canning.  Love it!

Ingredients

• apples -peeled and sliced thinly...prepare enough to fill your crock pot very full.
• 1 -2 cups sugar (to taste) I used 1 1/2 cups :0)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt

1. Fill your crockpot with sliced apples.

2. In a bowl mix sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Pour this mixture over the apples.

3. Cover and cook approximately 10 hours. Stir occasionally.

Tip: Start these in the evening. Cook on high for an hour just before going to bed. Turn down to low and give them a good stir. In the morning whisk them up. (This is a great tip! It worked perfectly.)

4. As the apples cook you will be able to go from stirring with a spoon to a whisk. They will whisk up nice and smooth.

5.Cook, cook, and cook.  The color will get darker and your house will smell AMAZING!

This is after 10 hours.

6. You can leave the lid off for the last hour or two to get a thicker consistency. Fill your sterilized and prepared jars (refer to the National Center for Home Preservation if needed) leaving a 1/4 inch head space. Wipe the rims clean, remove any air bubbles and place your lids.

7. Process to seal.

Processing:

If this is your first time canning, please read up on the process at the The National Center for Home Food Preservation website. http://nchfp.uga.edu/
FYI- I process half-pint and pint jars for 10 minutes.

Toast time!

A toast to my favorite fruit!

Oops...I couldn't wait to take a bite.  Yep, it was that good.

A warm hug in my tum. :0)