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For the frosting:
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Place brown sugar, butter and salt in a medium saucepan and heat over high heat, stirring constantly once melted. Bring mixture to a boil, then slowly pour milk into the mixture, stir to combine and immediately turn heat to medium-low. Set timer for 3 minutes and let the mixture simmer. Do not stir it! After 3 minutes has passed, remove caramel from heat and let it cool while you are baking the cupcakes.
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Once you've baked the cupcakes beat the confectioners' sugar into the caramel using a mixer on medium speed, scraping down sides of the bowl with spatula as needed, for 2 minutes. Allow frosting to sit on the counter to set up further, as cupcakes cool.
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For the cupcakes:
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Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two 12-count muffin pans with foil liners.
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In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, applesauce and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.
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Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake them, turning pans halfway through baking time, for 20-23 minutes or until a cake springs back when lightly pressed with your finger.
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When done remove them from the oven and let cupcakes cool in pan for 10 minutes. Then remove cupcakes from the pans and set on cooling racks. Allow cupcakes to cool completely, about 30 minutes, before frosting.
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To frost the cupcakes:
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The caramel frosting is meant to be looser than a standard buttercream frosting. One at a time, take a cupcake holding it by its liner. Turn it upside down and dip the top into the bowl of frosting, similar to dipping an apple to coat it in caramel. Submerge top of cupcake in the frosting, gently twist clockwise a few times, and pull up while twisting to frost cupcake. Repeat process with the rest of the cupcakes.
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Cupcake recipe adapted from Annie's Eats recipe for Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins.
