Saturday, October 10, 2009

Fall Baking Series: Caramel Apple Cupcakes-Don't Do It!!


It's eleven o'clock at night and I'm driving home from work. It has been raining and pouring all week in Kentucky. There are times when I felt like I've moved to the world's rainiest place, and this is one of them. Naturally, it's pitch black outside, I have a cold, a headache, and everyone is trying to run me off the road. To quote a friend, "I felt like someone licked the red off my sucker". BUT, I don't have the kids in the car and for once I don't have to listen to Elmo or Mickey playing on the TV. I turn on the radio and Kings of Leon comes on, with their song "Use Somebody". Let's just say that there is never a point in your life where you are too old to turn the radio up and sing out loud in the car. The only difference is that you are no longer driving an 87' Fiero, or a 69' Volkswagen. No, you are not driving anything remotely cool. Instead, you are driving a Chrysler Pacifica, and it doesn't know if it wants to be a station wagon or a mini van. Never mind that Chrysler Pacifica, you are going to sing that song so loud that your headache gets worse with every chorus.

I had planned on coming home and posting my recipe for Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Glaze, but today doesn't deserve such a delicious recipe. Instead, I decided to come home and post the worst recipe I've made all year long! Yes, it is rare when you will hear me say that I don't like a recipe. Not only did I not like this recipe, but 4 out of 5 children didn't like it either. That's saying a lot!! These cupcakes actually went into the garbage can, and that never happens. Don't let this little cutesy title fool you, these cupcakes are not worth your time or the mess. Even the picture looks awful!

I'm including the recipe so that if you see it anywhere you can run far away!!

Caramel Apple Cupcakes - Taste of Home Winning Recipes
1 package (18-1/4 ozs) spice or carrot cake mix
2 cups chopped peeled tart apples
20 caramels
3 tablespoons milk
1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
12 popsicle sticks

Mix cake batter according to the package directions; fold in the apples. Fill 12 greased or paper-lined jumbo muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. In a saucepan, melt the caramels with milk over low heat, stirring until smooth. Spread over cupcakes. Sprinkle with pecans. Insert a wooden stick into the center of each cupcake.

Yields: 12 jumbo cupcakes or 24 regular cupcakes

Notes/Results: The caramel is so sticky that it just gets everywhere. It sticks to the paper liner and won't come off, it sticks to the cupcake carrier, and it sticks to the roof of your mouth. End result is that it just isn't good. Leave this recipe alone!

However, if you do sing out loud in the car, good for you!! I'd love to hear what songs you like to sing when you're driving in the car, cooking in the kitchen, or just plain dancing around the house!

28 comments:

  1. Okay, well I always say for everything good you see on my blog, there's one thing that went in the garbage. Still, I think the stick makes for a cute autumn presentation. I would keep that idea, its very novel. Have a fab weekend!

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  2. The worlds rainiest place isn't the UK, wow, im amazed. I have never seen caramel apple cakes with sticks in. I want one!!

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  3. We are having rain here too, but we need it before the ground freezes so I am ok with it.
    Good to know about this recipe, I will avoid it. Maybe the box mix, lord knows what's in them.
    I sing Lime in the Coconut, best of Jimmy Buffet and some Willie.. Nelson that is. They are my go-to car tunes that make me happy. :)
    At home I am more of a Harry Connick Jr., Michael Buble type of gal.. I think I am getting old...

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  4. I hope you are feeling better - and that your headache went away.

    Two nights ago I had a triple recipe disaster - everything I made went into the trash. Talk about your self-esteem taking a beating.

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  5. I'm a big fan of caramel and that recipe doesn't appeal to me. Carrot or spice cake mix and caramel? I'll pass.

    I love to sing loudly and off-key in the car. I mean, really badly off key on purpose. Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift, and Lady Gaga -- I murder them all =-).

    My name is Jen Delaney -- I live in Louisville, KY -- I don't know why Kayti keeps come up -- it's an old defunct blog I had for a fictional character assignment... guess I need to figure out how to change my account! My email is jen a delaney at gmail . com (removing the spaces of course).

    You've inspired my husband and i -- we're hunting for a cookbook to cook through! I have a lot of Rachel Ray's books and the new Good Eats book ... and Bobby Flay's new burger cookbook (signed!) or we may pick up a new one. We're not big seafood eaters so that will affect our choice!

    How do you decide which cookbooks you buy? With all the great free recipes available at allrecipes.com and foodnetwork.com, we have trouble justifying buying cook books...

    What was your favorite booth at the food show? I thought Carino's had an awesome set up. I like the Lover's Leap winery too.

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  6. Sounds good, but I try to avoid caramel in all situations---I make such a sticky mess ha ha. That and marshmallow creme are not my friends in the kitchen!

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  7. Kim, We have all had days like this! Nothing seems to go right...you get into having the biggest pity party on earth for yourself...and then you sing! Loudly....badly...sometimes hitting the right notes....hey I'm a rock star!
    (IN THE CAR!!) This was a good post...I laughed at the cupcake story and it was a day brightener to bring us to earth!! Have a good weekend and feel better!!

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  8. well i'm glad that you told us about this! i will certainly stay far, far away from this recipe!

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  9. i had to giggle at this post, not at the fact that you're weren't having a great day, but because i could TOTALLY relate to having that kind of a day. i could use a nice singing session in my car about now! i'm sorry about the cupcakes, the idea is cute, but if they're difficult to eat, then no fun! it's a bit rainy here too, i'll be wishing sun for all of us!

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  10. I hope you start feeling better soon! Thank you so much for the heads up on the recipe. Lately I have found myself singing the songs off tv commercials...like the one for freecredit.com...f-r-e-e that spells free...lol. My daughter will sing them too...lol.

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  11. Thanks for the heads up, I would have believed it a good recipe since it was a Taste of Home, what was their test kitchen thinking?

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  12. Very funny post, but sorry about your day. I probably would've given the recipe a try...seems innocent enough. Oh, and Radar Love sung so loudly the people in the next car can hear me.

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  13. I love this post!
    You poor girl, raining and a headache....hopefully you weren't driving while mobile texting this post!
    and a Pacifica to boot. You have my pity.
    But....I love that you threw out the caramel cupcakes (which sound disgusting, by the way!).
    I recently made ginger pear muffins and they were vile....was going to post the disaster, but threw them away quietly.
    Hope your weekend is sunny and gets better!
    Stacey

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  14. Wow...it sounds so promising, and looks cute. I guess looks can be deceiving.

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  15. At first glance it looked like a fun recipe but I'll take your word for it and I'll run the other way. Too funny. Loved the post!

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  16. This recipes is simple, easy and sounds wonderful. Not to mention, my kiddos could help in decorating.

    Thanks.

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  17. That is hilarious....I get so aggravated about the rain too. Tallahassee area also boasts some of THE WORST drivers when it rains too so, what a combo!

    Sorry those apples didn't work out. I like a plain apple anyway :-)

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  18. Too bad about the cupcakes, I hate when a recipe messes up. I sing in the car, but only with the windows up and I am completely alone. Yes, I am that bad.

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  19. I sing and/or hum everywhere. It's a habit that can probably drive you a little bonkers if you spend a lot of time with me. I love to sing country western--lots of Patsy Cline--but love opera, too. I wanted to be an opera singer when I was growing up. I give you props for posting your disasters; mine usually just go quietly into that good night.

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  20. Sometime you need to crank up the radio and sing really loud! While the cupcakes look a bit messy, I'd still give them a try!

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  21. The recipe title sounds like it should be fabulous! Thanks for the warning. It doesn't take much for me to crank up the radio and sing or dance around the living or kitchen. My 12 year old twins and I would crank up the radio and sing Big Girls Don't Cry but now they are 13 and too cool.

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  22. The idea of this is so cute, that's too bad they don't work. I LOVE singing in the car, and laughing at other people that are singing in THEIR cars, lol.

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  23. Sorry to hear the cupcakes didn't work out! We all have those days, right? Thanks for the warning, because I've been eyeing that recipe in my Taste of Home magazine for a while now.

    I'm just seeing now that you've got two already...but I'm naming you again for the "One Lovely Blog" award! I think it bears repeating!

    http://fuzzykoalacakecompany.blogspot.com/2009/10/feeling-and-sharing-love.html

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