This is an excellent, easy and low cost recipe I found in a magazine when I was a teenager.
Topping…
Ingredients:
2/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. packed, light brown sugar
1/2 stick (1/4 c.) butter or margarine (“I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” works well)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Directions:
Stir topping ingredients together in a small bowl with a fork or rub together with fingertips until large crumbs form. Set aside.
Batter…
Ingredients:
1 large Granny Smith apple, cut into quarters, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
1 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions:
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 12 regular-sized muffin cups or line with paper or foil liners. In a small bowl, mix apple pieces, sugar and cinnamon. Set aside. Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl until blended. In a medium size bowl, beat sugar into oil with an electric mixer on high speed. Reduce speed to medium and beat in the egg and vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture until blended. Batter will be very thick and look impossibly gooey. Beat the apple into the mixture, distributing the pieces evenly. Spoon batter into prepared cups. Scatter on topping mixture and gently press down into the batter. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until crumbs are crisp and cupcakes are golden brown, but somewhat soft in the middle (a toothpick inserted in center has moist crumbs sticking to it). Cool in pan on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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