Jewish Apple Cupcakes: #3rddayThanksgivukkah

Traditionally, when you see apples and honey they are the flavors of Rosh Hashanah instead of Hanukkah, for their mention and significance in Jewish scripture. But due to the amazing occurrence of Thanksgiving and the first full day of Hanukkah happening on the same day, all most bets are off. Thanksgiving was meant for apples, and likewise Jewish Apple Cake has become one of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes over the past two years.

This year, my Jewish Apple Cake recipe, based on that of the Smitten Kitchen's, became an often found search result for "Thanksgiving Hanukkah recipes." That was the first time it occurred to me that people were looking for recipes that brought both traditions together for one special day. Since Thanksgiving and Hanukkah are much better matched together than say Hanukkah and Christmas, as happens for frequently, I knew a need wasn’t being met in search results.

Out of this came the Eight Days of Thanksgivukkah.

You may be asking, if you’ve already made this cake and posted it, why do it again?

Well, I wanted to do something a little different this time in the form of cupcakes so I more or less stuck with the original recipe, adding some fresh nutmeg, honey, and the optional limoncello for a “Cuisiner” flavor, but also took cupcake tips from the Shiksa in the Kitchen. Because these were cupcakes instead of a very large cake, I shredded the apples in a food processor instead of large chunks of apples. This way, the cupcakes not only stay together, but also incorporate the apple flavor throughout each bite.

I also wanted to go back and understand what making a recipe parve means, like this one. Before I didn't know why Jewish Apple Cake was "Jewish." Well being parve definitely helps. Because there is no dairy in this recipe, in can be eaten with meat at the same meal. Meaning, if you are celebrating a Kosher Thanksgivukkah, you can have your turkey and eat your dessert too.

If this is the first time you are celebrating or invited to a Jewish or Kosher Thanksgiving, these cupcakes are a perfect thing to bring to incorporate both holidays in a special way.

These cupcakes have a similar consistency to that of a muffin, so if you have any leftover on the Third day of Hanukkah (Black Friday,) they would make a great partner to leftover latkes and Turkey. As if you needed an excuse….

Parve Jewish Apple Cupcakes

(Adapted from the recipe of Smitten Kitchen 

and the Shiksa in the Kitchen)

Ingredients:

4 large apples, peeled (use a mix of Fuji, Jonagold, and/or Granny Smith)

1 tbsp. roasted cinnamon

3 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. honey

2 3/4 cup sifted flour

1 tbsp. baking powder, sifted

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. roasted cinnamon

1/2 tsp. fresh ground nutmeg

1 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 tbsp. honey

1/4 cup orange juice

1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract

4 eggs

Optional:

1 tsp. Kosher Limoncello liqueur

1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 12-cup cup cake pans or muffin pans with vegetable oil and dust bottoms with flour. (you can also use muffin liners instead)

Cut apples into thin slices and then into matchsticks. Working in batches, add apples to a food processor until just chopped, allow some bigger pieces for texture.  Add apples to a bowl and mix in cinnamon, sugar, and honey. Set aside. (If you don't have a food processor, you can grate apples over a box grater, just be aware that this will add more moisture to the mixture.)

In a large bowl or stand mixer add sifted flour, baking powder and salt.

In a separate small bowl, combine oil, orange juice, sugar, honey, vanilla, and limoncello.

Working gradually, combine wet and dry ingredients until just blended. Add eggs to mixture one egg at a time until mixture is just blended. Scrape bowl.

Gently fold apple mixture, 1/2 tsp, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the flour mixture until just incorporated.

Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into each cup of the cupcake pan, filling to the top. (This will create the pretty tops.) Sprinkle each cupcake with 1 tsp, or so of walnuts.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until toothpick comes clean. Put on wire rack. Cool before serving, or my favorite-eat while still warm!

Because the apples add quite a bit of moisture when added before baking, beware of cooking time. Check cupcakes after 25 minutes, and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes only if necessary.

If you aren't kosher, these cupcakes are delicious with ice cream, homemade whipped cream, or caramel sauce such as this one.

Enjoy!