Have you heard of Cookies for Kids' Cancer? It was founded by Gretchen and Larry Witt, two OXO employees who were inspired by their 2-year-old son's battle with cancer. They learned that more than 25% of kids diagnosed with cancer do not survive due to a lack of effective therapies stemming from a lack of funding. Back in December of 2007, they held a giant bake sale and raised $400,000.
Inspired by Gretchen and Larry, throughout the years, OXO employees have joined the fight against childhood cancer by baking cookies and hosting bake sales, and OXO has matched the proceeds. This year OXO will donate up to $100,000 in support of pediatric cancer.
To raise awareness of their efforts, for each blog post dedicated to the campaign in September, OXO is donating $100 as part of their $100,000. They recently sent me a cupcake kit so that I could get involved in this cause. The kit included measuring cups and spoons, a cupcake spatula, and a cupcake corer -- items that are specially marked with the Cookies for Kids' Cancer seal. The items inspired me to make some cupcakes to share with you.
You can get involved with Cookies for Kids' Cancer too by purchasing specially marked OXO items (25 cents from each purchase will be donated to the cause), hosting a bake sale, purchasing cookies, or making a donation.
Maple Dulce De Leche Apple Cupcakes
(adapted from Baked Explorations)
These cupcakes scream fall with their apple and warm spice flavors and decadent maple dulce de leche frosting and filling.
Print this recipe
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Yield: about 20 cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 egg
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
Frosting
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons heavy cream
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons maple dulce de leche, plus extra for drizzling
Preparation
Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 12-cup cupcake tin with papers and lightly spray papers with baking spray.
Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and salt together in medium bowl.
In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter on medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and beat until combined, scraping down bowl as needed.
Add flour mixture in 3 parts alternating with applesauce in 2 parts, beating until each addition is incorporated and scraping down bowl as needed. Give batter final stir with rubber spatula to combine.
Fill prepared cupcake cups about two-thirds full (about 1/4 cup or two medium OXO Good Grips Cookie Scoop scoops).
Bake cupcakes for 20 to 25 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean, rotating cupcake tin halfway through baking. Transfer to wire rack and let cool for about 2 minutes. Carefully remove cupcakes and set on wire rack to cool completely. Re-line and spray pan and repeat with remaining cupcake batter.
Frosting
Whisk sugar and flour together in small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking often, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens, 6 to 8 minutes.
Transfer mixture to bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle.
Beat on high speed until cool. Then reduce speed to low and add butter and vanilla. Mix until incorporated. Beat mixture on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add dulce de leche and mix until combined.
Using OXO Good Grips Cupcake Corer, remove centers of cupcakes.
Using a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip (I used a French tip), pipe a tiny bit of frosting in the hollowed out center of each cupcake.
Put a few spoonfuls of dulce de leche in a plastic sandwich bag and cut the corner off the bag to form a small hole. Drizzle a little dulce de leche over the frosting.
Pipe the remaining frosting in swirls on each cupcake (do not go all the way to edges of cupcakes -- the frosting is very sweet so you'll want to use only a small amount).
Drizzle cupcakes with dulce de leche to decorate.
Serve cupcakes right away or store at room temperature if cool, in fridge if humid. Let sit at room temperature before serving.
A few notes from OXO:
For every specially marked item sold, OXO will donate 25 cents in support of pediatric cancer research as part of its $100,000* pledge to Cookies for Kids' Cancer. (Look for specially marked OXO products at participating retailers.)
*In 2013, OXO will donate up to $100,000 to Cookies for Kids' Cancer through specially marked baking tools, bake sale matches and other fundraising efforts. Cookies for Kids' Cancer is a recognized 501c(3) public charity duly incorporated under the laws of the state of New Jersey. Your donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law. 100% of proceeds raised by Cookies for Kids' Cancer fund pediatric cancer research.
OXO sent me a cupcake kit so that I could participate in this program. All opinions are my own. I am a huge fan of OXO products and have been for years. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to do something so meaningful with my blogging.