Caramel Apple Cupcakes

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• 1 box caramel, carrot or spice cake mix
• Ingredients to prepare cake mix
• 2 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
• 20 caramels                                    
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 12 popsicle sticks

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepared cake batter according to package directions; fold in apples.
3. Fill 12 greased or paper-lined jumbo muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
4. In a saucepan, cook the caramels and milk over low heat until smooth. Spread over cupcakes. Sprinkle with pecans.
5. Insert a popsicle stick into the center of each cupcake.