Caramel-Apple Chiffon Cupcakes

Soo yummy! From "Retro Desserts", prep time is a guesstimate (never time myself).

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

• For the cupcakes

• 1  cup cake flour
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, plus
• 1  pinch salt
• 1  cup sugar, divided
• 6  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 4  large eggs, separated
• 1⁄4 cup cream sherry
• 1⁄4 cup  frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
• 1  pinch cream of tartar
• 3  large granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

• For the butterscotch sauce

• 1⁄4 cup water
• 1  cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup  unsweetened butter
• 1  cup heavy cream
• 1  tablespoon  jamaican dark rum
• 1⁄2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-slot muffin tin with large paper/foil cupcake liners.
2. Into a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 cup of the sugar together--three times. Form a well in the center and add the oil, egg yolks, sherry, and apple juice concentrate. On low speed, mix together, just until blended.
3. In a clean, dry mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites with the pinches of salt and cream of tartar until creamy, foamy and barely able to hold peaks. While sprinkling in the remaining 1/2 cup of the sugar, whisk until the egg whites have the consistency of shaving cream.
4. Fold a third of the egg whites into the yolk mixture. Fold in the remainder of the whites. Fill the cups of the muffin tin no more than 2/3 full with batter and top with the apple chunks. Bake for 16 minutes. Cool on a rack.
5. Make the butterscotch sauce: Combine the water, sugar and butter in a large saucepan and cook over high heat until light amber. Stand back as far as possible and slowly drizzle the cream into the caramel. It will bubble up and may splatter, so protect your hands with an oven mitt. Add the rum and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, occasionally swirling around the pan, until thickened and a rich golden brown.
6. Strain the sauce and stir in the sweetened condensed milk.
7. When cupcakes are completely cool, drizzle with Butterscotch Sauce.