Description
Moist spiced apple cupcakes topped with a rich caramel buttercream frosting — indulgent and perfect for autumn.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all‑purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ¾ tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup (180 ml) milk
- 1 cup finely chopped apple (peeled)
- — For the Caramel Buttercream —
- 1¼ cups (280 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 5 cups (575 g) powdered sugar
- 4–6 tbsp caramel sauce (homemade or store‑bought)
- Pinch ground cinnamon (optional)
- Caramel sauce and apple slices, for drizzle/decoration
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (176 °C). Line a cupcake pan with liners.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; set aside.
- In mixing bowl, cream butter, oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 3–4 minutes).
- Add vanilla and sour cream, mixing until combined.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping sides as needed.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk (beginning and ending with dry), mixing just until combined.
- Gently fold in chopped apples.
- Fill cupcake liners about ¾ full. Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Some versions suggest 15–20 min.) :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
- Let cupcakes cool completely on a rack before frosting.
- To make the caramel buttercream: beat butter until creamy, then gradually add powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add caramel sauce (4–6 tbsp) and pinch of cinnamon if desired, mixing until well combined. Adjust consistency with more sugar or caramel as needed. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
- Pipe or spread the frosting on each cooled cupcake. Drizzle with extra caramel sauce and top with an apple slice if desired.
Notes
- You can prepare the caramel sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge up to 2 weeks. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
- Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days; bring to room temperature before serving. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
- If frosting becomes too stiff, soften slightly (e.g. microwave briefly) before piping.
- Use tart apples like Granny Smith for a better balance of sweetness. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: ≈ 424 kcal
- Sugar: ≈ 42 g
- Sodium: ≈ 210 mg
- Fat: ≈ 22 g
- Saturated Fat: ≈ 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ≈ 7 g
- Trans Fat: ≈ 1 g
- Carbohydrates: ≈ 55 g
- Fiber: ≈ 1 g
- Protein: ≈ 4 g
- Cholesterol: ≈ 88 mg
