Mile High Cupcakes (for high altitudes)

I tried to make cupcakes and kept failing because of the altitude. I didn’t know it had that much effect! This recipe has been adapted for those of us who live high up.

For the cupcakes:

• 1 cup of flour plus 2 tablespoons
• ¾ teaspoon of baking powder
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ½ tbsp cinnamon
• 8 tablespoons of butter (one stick) at room temperature
• ½ cup of granulated sugar minus 1 teaspoon
• 3 eggs at room temperature
• 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla
• 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt
• ½ large apple (chopped and peeled)

For the frosting:

• 5 tbsp butter room temperature
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• Caramel sauce (found at local grocery store)

Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes
Cake recipe is adapted from Vail Daily.

For the cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees with a rack in the center position.
2. Line a 12-opening cupcake pan with paper liners and spray the paper liners with a vegetable oil spray or one containing flour and vegetable oil (you can skip this step but your cakes may stick to the paper liners at our altitude).
3. If your eggs are not at room temperature, place them in a bowl of hot tap water for several minutes.
4. If your butter is cold, cut it into pieces, place on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on the lowest level for a minute or so until softened to room temperature.
5. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a bowl and whisk until well combined and the flour is aerated. You may also sift the ingredients to obtain the same results. Set aside.
6. Cut the eight tablespoons of room-temperature butter into pieces and place them in a medium bowl with the sugar.
7. Beat with an electric mixer until they are fluffy and pale, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently. This takes several minutes.
8. Add the room-temperature eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined after each addition.
9. Sprinkle the flour combination over the batter and fold it in or mix gently on the lowest speed of your mixer only until combined.
10. Stir in the vanilla and yogurt.
11. Fold in the apples.
12. Spoon the batter into the lined cupcake pan, filling each opening a little over half full.
13. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees and place the filled pan in it. Bake until the tops are lightly golden and spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted in the middle of one of the cupcakes comes out clean. Start checking at about 20 minutes in the oven.
14. Cool the cakes in the pan. When cool, remove them from the pan and frost them or wrap them airtight and freeze them if you aren’t going to use them immediately.

For the frosting:

1. Beat 8 oz. cold cream cheese (not rock solid, but it means you can use it straight out of the refrigerator) with 5 Tbsp. softened butter and 2 tsp. vanilla until combined.
2.  Gradually add 2 c. powdered sugar that has been sifted after measuring.
3.  Continue to add more sifted powdered sugar until you reach the right consistency.
4. Frost chilled cupcakes.
5. Drizzle caramel sauce over the top.