From Apples to Oozing Fudge: A Muffin Story

Tags: best cake ever, cake, Country House, cupcakes, homebaking, homemade cake, Irish food, Irish ingredients, muffins, private catering, recipes, toffee apple cinnamon

Toffee Apples are something I always associate with Autumn and Halloween. They are such a traditional icon of this time of year but in truth I always found them way to sweet to eat as a child.
These muffins take the best of these elements and combine them in delicious, moreish, seasonal treats that you will have no difficulty in eating!!

I’ve been gathering windfalls from the orchard to make chutneys and crumbles but these are one of my favourite treats. Serve with a dollop of cream or creme fraiche and a drizzle of any leftover syrup from the filling.

A muffin tin, apples in a basket and caramel candy in a bowl on a kitchen countertop.
Toffee apple cinnamon muffins in a muffin tin.
Cinnamon Apple Sauce:
  • 300g Bramley or cooking apples
  • 100g soft brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
Muffin Ingredients:
  • 275g plain flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 75g butter softened or Stork with Butter
  • 2 large free range eggs
  • 125ml milk (full fat)
  • 100g fudge, chopped into small chunks
  • 2tbsp brown sugar mixed with 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Preheat oven to 200C or 180C fan. Line your muffin tin with papers – check out my tip on how to make your own papers on our Instagram post.
Method:

1. Make the apple sauce first by peeling and chopping the apples into small dice. Put the diced apple, the sugar, cinnamon & 3tsp water into a small saucepan. Cook gently until the apple is tender but not turned to mush. Keep an eye on it and leave to cool when done.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and sugar into a large bowl.
3. Beat the butter and eggs together then add in the milk & combine briefly.
4. Add the fudge chunks into the flour mixture then add in the egg/milk combo into this. Stir together until the mixture is just combined…don’t over mix.
5. Put half the mix into the paper cases then add a spoonful of the apple sauce on top of this. Cover both of these with the remaining mixture, add a drizzle of the sauce on top then sprinkle with the sugar/cinnamon mix. See picture below.
6. Cook in the preheated oven for 20-25 mins until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack.
7. I like to eat these while still warm & oozie!

"A Magical West Cork Escape"

We stayed at Dunowen House for a long weekend and genuinely didn’t want to leave. From the moment we arrived, we were blown away by the beauty of the house and its surroundings – the views, the gardens, the quiet… it’s pure magic. The house itself is full of character and history but still feels incredibly cosy and luxurious.

We loved having our morning coffee overlooking the sea and strolling down to the nearby coves. It was the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure. Clonakilty is only a few minutes away too, so we had some lovely meals out and picked up bits from the local markets.

"A Dream Wedding Come to Life"

We were blown away with the unmatched beauty of Dunowen – the set- ting, the people and all the details make it come to life. We feel so blessed to have had our wedding here and so grateful for Kela and Stephen for making this the most special day of our lives. We are leaving a piece of our hearts here so we will absolutely have to come back again. All our love

"An Unforgettable Celebration of Love"

I could not have imagined a more beautiful stay and wedding. We took a chance and put our trust in Kela and Stephen, booking Dunowen sight un- seen! What a wonderful experience to celebrate our love with the people we care about most without having to worry about the details. The flow- ers, the food and the accommodations were unforgettable. Thank you for giving us the space to create lifetime memories! Dunowen will have a piece of our heart. We hope to come back and do it again!

"A Perfect Stay"

Kela and Stephen. Thank you for our wonderful stay at Dunowen House and letting us enjoy the beauty of West Cork in your wonderful home and surroundings. We absolutely loved it.

"Another Unforgettable Stay"

Thank you Kela & Stephen for another amazing stay. When you’ve stayed in Dunowen it’s impossible to stay elsewhere. Your house is per- fection!

"A Perfect 70th Celebration"

Many thanks Kela and Stephen for a wonderful stay at Dunowen House. The house is so spacious, especially for our smallish family group who helped me celebrate my 70th birthday. Thanks for the beautiful flowers throughout and all the home baking. We loved the location.

"Surrounded by Dunowen’s Gardens and Coastal Beauty"

Thank you for a wonderful week. Everything was perfect and we loved being able to walk to the beach and sit in the beautiful gardens. Hope to come again.

"A Perfect 80th Birthday Celebration"

The end of a fabulous week celebrating my 80th birthday. It has been a brilliant stay with everything we needed. Just perfect. Thank you so much Kela & Stephen for your thought and kindness. All the best for the future and perhaps we will see you again!

The Ultimate 5-Star Escape

Bravo! You have created the perfect backdrop for a 5 star vacation. Our group of 18 could not have imagined a more comfortable and luxe week. I’ll see you on Instagram and we will all see you again in person next va- cation.

Flowers and fruits cake close up Flowers and fruits cake close up