More festive and delicious than apple pie, these caramel apple cupcakes overwhelm your senses with aromas of cinnamon, tart apples, and sticky-sweet caramel.
If you are going to make cupcakes with apple slices, go all the way and make them taste like a fall favorite - caramel apples! These moist cupcakes are topped with caramel frosting that gratifies your sweet tooth.
Table of contents
Fall Cupcakes
Caramel apples are an iconic fall dessert. They are just as popular as that favorite seasonal treat - pumpkin pie. If you are looking for an alternative to pumpkin, think about apples! These caramel apple cupcakes celebrate everything you love about fall - apple picking and hayrack rides. You will smell the warm cinnamon and nutmeg aromas as they bake and you'll be drooling way before they come out of the oven.
As beloved as apple cider donuts, apple caramel cupcakes are perfect for Halloween or fall parties. These are completely homemade - no boxed cake mixes here! Even so, the apple cinnamon cupcakes are so easy to make that even beginning bakers will succeed without much effort.
Why You'll Love These Cupcakes With Apples
You'll want to eat these cinnamon apple cupcakes slowly, savoring every sweet bite. The warm spices compliment the sweet and tart apples in the most exquisite way.
This recipe for apple cupcakes is a no-fail recipe. You basically mix all the ingredients together, pour them into the muffin tin, and bake them. Even the caramel frosting for cupcakes is a breeze to whip up - especially if you have an electric mixer.
It's really easy to change this recipe, too. Make mini apple cupcakes by pouring the batter into a mini muffin tin. Use gluten-free flour to make gluten-free apple cupcakes. Have fun with this recipe and make it how you want it.
Ingredients
To make spiced apple cupcakes you'll need:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder - used as leavening agent
- Cinnamon & nutmeg - are warm spices that lend a fall flavor to the cupcake
- Salt - enhances the flavors
- Unsalted butter - provides a light and tender texture
- Vegetable oil - will make for higher cupcakes that stay moist longer
- White granulated sugar - sweetens the batter
- Light brown sugar - will tend to make your cupcakes softer and moister
- Vanilla extract - a flavor enhancer
- Sour cream - adds moistness
- Eggs
- Milk
- Apples - bite-sized chunks for added fall flavor
To make caramel frosting for cupcakes you'll need:
- Unsalted butter - make sure it is room temperature for a smoother, fluffier frosting
- Powdered sugar
- Caramel sauce - any brand will work
- Ground cinnamon - a warming spice to accent the caramel sauce
- Apple slices for garnish (optional)
Which apples are best for cupcakes?
Baking apples such as Granny Smith, Jonagold, Honeycrisp, and Pink Lady are best for these cupcakes. Their tart flavor balances with the sweet buttercream frosting.
How to Make Apple Cupcakes
The full recipe for this apple cupcake recipe is in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
- Stir to combine.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, oil and sugars.
- Beat until creamy, fluffy and lighter in color.
- Add vanilla extract and sour cream. Mix well.
- Mix in the eggs one at a time.
- Make sure to mix until fully incorporated.
- Pour in milk. Tip: Mix in with rubber spatula then finish with mixer.
- Add in half of the flour mixture, mix well, then add the remaining half.
- Mix until just combined. DO NOT OVERMIX THE BATTER.
- Fold in the apple chunks.
- Batter is ready for cupcake pan.
- Place cupcake liners into cupcake pan. Using a scoop, divide the batter between the cupcake liners making sure to fill only ¾ full.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the cupcake pan immediately and place on wire rack to cool.
How to Make Caramel Buttercream Frosting
- Place butter in a mixing bowl.
- Beat butter until it is smooth and creamy.
- Mix in half of the powdered sugar.
- Add 4 tablespoons of caramel sauce.
- Mix in the remaining powdered sugar and beat until fully incorporated.
- Add cinnamon and mix well.
Pro Tip: If the frosting is too thick, add more caramel sauce. If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar.
Frosting Cupcakes
Place frosting in a piping bag with a large piping tip. If you do not have a piping bag, place frosting in a plastic bag with the corner cut out. You can also add a tip to the plastic bag.
Fill the bag by turning down the top edge and setting the bag upright in a measuring up. Push the frosting to the bottom of the bag and squeeze it onto the top of the cupcakes.
Finish these spiced apple cupcakes with a drizzle of caramel sauce and a slice of apple that has been drizzled with lemon juice to keep it from turning brown. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Bring all the cupcake ingredients to room temperature. Set them out about an hour beforehand. This will help the batter to be smoother and the cupcakes will be light and airy and not dense.
- Don't overmix the batter or it will cause the cupcakes to be dense instead of fluffy.
- Remove the cupcakes from the pan to cool them. Leaving them in the pan will cause them to be overbaked and dry them out.
- For the fresh apple garnish, toss the apple slices with lemon juice to help prevent them from turning brown. Let them sit in the juice for a couple of minutes then dry them. Also, don't put them on the cupcakes until just prior to serving.
- For an extra caramel touch, drizzle caramel sauce over the cupcakes.
Recipe Variations
- Caramel Apple Pie Cupcakes: Hollow out the middle of the cupcake and fill it with apple pie filling.
- Mini Apple Cupcakes: Use a mini muffin pan and mini cupcake liners. They will not take as long to bake so bake them for 9 to 12 minutes instead of 15 to 18 minutes.
- Gluten Free Apple Cupcakes: Substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.
- Salted Caramel Apple Cupcakes: For the frosting, regular caramel sauce with salted caramel sauce and add ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt or coarse sea salt.
How to Make Cupcakes in Advance
Bake the cupcakes, let them cool completely, and do not frost them. Freeze them in an airtight container. Frozen unfrosted cupcakes will last up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight.
Make the frosting up to 1 month ahead. Place it in a bowl and press plastic wrap on the surface. Seal the container and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to use, place it on the counter to come to room temperature. It may take several hours to soften.
How to Store and Freeze
To store: Because the frosting has butter, these cupcakes should be stored in the refrigerator. Keep them in an airtight container, like a cupcake container/carrier.
To freeze: Remove the fresh apple slice garnish. Place the cupcakes on a plate or baking sheet and freeze them uncovered. Once frozen, individually wrap them in plastic wrap. Put the wrapped cupcakes in a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
How long do cupcakes with frosting last?
- Refrigerated cupcakes with frosting will last up to 4 days.
- Frozen cupcakes with frosting will last up to 3 months.
More Apple Dessert Recipes
- Apple Bundt Cake with caramel sauce.
- Apple Cider Pound Cake with all the goodness of an apple cider donut.
- Apple Dumplings with vanilla sauce.
- Apple Pie Cupcakes from Crayons & Cravings
- French Apple Pie with crumb topping.
Find lots of easy dessert recipes here on 2CM!
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Caramel Apple Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cinnamon Apple Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ brown sugar packed
- ¾ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 cup finely chopped apple
Caramel Frosting
- 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 4-6 Tablespoons caramel sauce plus extra for final drizzle
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1-2 apples, sliced for garnish on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Prepare muffin pan by lining with cupcake liners.
Cinnamon Apple Cupcakes
- In a medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
- In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the softened butter, vegetable oil, and sugars until fluffy and lighter in color, usually about 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the vanilla extract and the sour cream. Mix well.
- Add the eggs in one at a time, mixing well between each addition.
- Pour in the milk, stirring with a spatula prior to finishing with an electric mixer. This will prevent splashes.
- Add half of the flour mixture, mix well, then add the remaining flour mixture. Make sure the flour is well incorporated but do not overmix the batter.
- Fold in the apple chunks.
- Divide the batter between the 12 cupcake liners making sure to not fill them above ¾ full.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 15-18 minutes. To check for doneness, a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake should come out relatively clean- small crumbs sticking to the toothpick are okayfine!
- Remove cupcakes immediately from pan and cool on a wire baking rack.
Caramel Frosting
- Place softened butter in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth.
- Mix in half of the confectioners’ sugar and beat until thoroughly incorporated.
- With mixer still running, add 4 tablespoons of caramel sauce.
- Add in the remaining confectioners’ sugar and beat until fully incorporated.
- Finish by adding cinnamon and mixing until the frosting is smooth and creamy. If the frosting is too thick, add more caramel sauce. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- When cupcakes are fully cool, prepare frosting for piping. Using a piping bag, cut a hole in the bottom and insert a large piping tip, pushing it to the bottom of the bag. Fold the top edge of the piping bag down and set it upright into a measuring cup. Fill with frosting.
- Pipe the caramel frosting onto the top of the cupcakes.
- Drizzle the cooled cupcakes with additional caramel sauce and a slice of apple that has been drizzled with lemon juice to prevent browning.
Notes
- Bring all the cupcake ingredients to room temperature. Set them out about an hour beforehand. This will help the batter to be smoother and the cupcakes will be light and airy and not dense.
- Don't overmix the batter or it will cause the cupcakes to be dense instead of fluffy.
- Remove the cupcakes from the pan to cool them. Leaving them in the pan will cause them to be overbaked and dry them out.
- For the fresh apple garnish, toss the apple slices with lemon juice to help prevent them from turning brown. Let them sit in the juice for a couple of minutes then dry them. Also, don't put them on the cupcakes until just prior to serving.
- For an extra caramel touch, drizzle caramel sauce over the cupcakes.
