Russian Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes

In a small bowl, mix warm milk, yeast and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Stir and leave for 5 minutes for the yeast to ferment.

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, remaining 50 grams sugar, cinnamon and baking spice mix. Add butter and mix with your hands. Make a hole in the center and pour 1 beaten egg and yeast mixture. Knead the dough until smooth. If necessary, add more milk or flour.

Transfer dough to a flour-dusted working surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Form a ball and place it in a greased bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 90 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Peel and dice apples. Put a saucepan or a skillet on medium heat. Add apples, brown sugar and the rest of spices. Stir for a few minutes and add the lemon juice. Reduce the heat and let it stew under the lid for 10–15 minutes, until apples are tender. Then add flour to thicken.

Lightly grease cupcake forms with butter. Once the dough has doubled in size, place it on the flour-dusted surface and knead for 1 minute to remove the excessive air. Divide it into 12 pieces and form balls.

With a rolling pin, roll the balls until they are roughly 12-13 cm in diameter. Roll the edges thinner than the center. Put 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center. Fold the edges around the filling, forming a knot on top. Don’t worry if it looks bad, it won’t be visible anyway. Transfer it to the cupcake form, with the knot facing down. Repeat with the remaining dough balls and filling. Leave in a warm place covered by a kitchen towel for 30 more minutes.

10 minutes before you want to put the cakes in the oven, heat it to 180°C (350°F). Brush the cupcakes with remaining beaten egg. Insert cloves in the middle of each “apple” and lay pumpkin seeds as “leaves” next to the cloves.

Bake for 10–15 minutes until golden brown. Cool before serving. Don’t forget to remove the clove before eating. Enjoy!