These caramel apple cupcakes are the perfect fall treat. Moist apple cupcakes flavored with warm cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla extract. Then they’re topped with caramel cream cheese frosting and a drizzle of salted caramel.
When it comes to apple desserts, I always think of apple cinnamon or caramel apple. These caramel apple cupcakes are the sister recipe to my apple spice cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. They start with moist and tender apple cupcakes. The apple cupcakes are filled warm spices, but aren’t quite as heavily spiced as my apple spice cupcakes so that the flavor doesn’t compete with the caramel. Then they’re frosted with the perfect caramel cream cheese buttercream that’s super creamy with a delicious salted caramel flavor. I like to add an extra drizzle of salted caramel too.
The salted caramel and apple are a match made in heaven and these cupcakes look beautiful as a dessert for any fall gathering.
Making the Apple Cupcakes
Ok – let’s talk specifics, tips and tricks, and a few things to be mindful of when baking these cupcakes.
- You’ll start by preheating the oven to 350F (180C) and lining your muffin tin with muffin papers. Because the cupcakes batter is thinner for this recipe, you need to line the muffin tin as opposed to simply greasing and flouring.
- Then in a medium bowl whisk together the dry ingredients: 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, a pinch of ground cloves, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda and ¼ teaspoon salt. Note: It is so important to measure the flour properly or the cupcakes can become dry. Whisk first, then spoon into a dry measuring cup and level off the top. Or for the most accurate results, measure in grams using a scale. 1 ½ cups weighs 188 grams.
- Then in a separate bowl, you’ll whisk together ½ cup melted butter, ½ cup light brown sugar and â…“ cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. This recipe uses butter for more flavor. Then because it’s melted – then there’s no need to take out your electric mixer. You want the eggs to be room temperature for easier mixing.
- Then you’ll whisk in 6 tablespoons of milk along with 1 grated apple. The grated apple should be about 1 â…“ to 1 ½ cups in total. Make sure to peel and core the apple first, then grate using a cheese grater.
- Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Keep whisking until you no longer see streaks or clumps of flour. However, be sure to stop mixing as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour to avoid overmixing.
- Spoon the bater into the prepared tin, tilling each muffin paper about â…” to ¾ full. You’ll end up with about 12-14 cupcakes in total. Note: It is much, much better to only make 12 cupcakes and leave a little extra batter in your bowl than overfilling your cupcakes and dividing all the batter between 12 cupcakes. If you overfill the cupcake liners, you can end up with cupcakes that overflow and then sink in the middle.
- The cupcakes will bake for about 22-24 minutes are until the tops look set and an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
Then it’s time to get on with the caramel frosting.
Making Salted Caramel Frosting
This salted caramel frosting is an American-style butter that’s made with the addition of salted caramel sauce. I have included my favorite salted caramel recipe that will give you enough for the frosting, extra for drizzling on the cupcakes, and a little extra.
If you prefer to use store-bought caramel or your favorite salted caramel recipe, be sure to choose something that’s thick and with a good hint of salt to cut the sweetness. I do not recommend using anything from a squeeze tube, as it is too thin for making frosting.
My main tips for making this salted caramel cream cheese frosting are:
- Ensure that the salted caramel is fully cooled before adding to the frosting. If it is still warm, it will melt the butter and cream cheese.
- I, therefore, recommend making the caramel before making the cupcakes. It can easily be done the day before you plan to serve, cooled, and stored in the fridge overnight.
- Make sure to use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese. Do not use anything labelled whipped, spreadable or low fat.
I frosted my cupcakes using a piping bag and a 1M tip. Then I added a little extra caramel to a ziploc bag, cut off the very bottom corner and used it as a homemade piping bag to drizzle on the extra caramel.
These apple cupcakes with caramel frosting have the perfect fall flavor combo and a deliciously moist cupcake crumb. And if you’re looking for more apple recipes for fall, then be sure to try:
- Apple Blondies – these are delicious with a drizzle of caramel
- Caramel Apple Galette
- Apple Crisp Cheesecake
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake
Caramel Apple Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12-cavity muffin pan
Ingredients
Salted Caramel Sauce*
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (85 grams) cut into about 6 cubes
- ½ cup whipping cream (120 ml)
- ¼ teaspoon coarse salt or up to ½ teaspoon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Apple Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (188 grams)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- â…› teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter (112 grams) melted
- ½ cup brown sugar (105 grams) packed
- â…“ cup granulated sugar (67 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons milk (90 ml) I used 2%
- 1 â…“ cup grated apple about 1 large apple, peeled and grated
Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (168 grams) somewhat softened
- 2 ounces cream cheese (56 grams) full-fat, brick style
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar (220-330 grams)
- ½ cup salted caramel (120 ml)
- ¼ teaspoon salt as needed
Instructions
Salted Caramel Sauce
- Add the sugar to a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Occasionally stir the sugar with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. At first it will form clumps, then dissolve into a smooth liquid that's amber in color.
- Once the sugar is a smooth liquid with no lumps, add in the butter. It will boil and bubble. Stir the mixture carefully with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
- Once all the butter has melted, remove the caramel from the heat and whisk in the cream.
- Return to the heat and continue whisking until the mixture a smooth liquid where you no longer see the butter sitting on top of the surface.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the salt and vanilla. Cool fully.
Apple Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line a 12-cavity muffin tin with muffin papers.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla extract until you no longer see clumps of brown sugar or pieces of egg.
- Then whisk the milk and grated apple into the butter mixture.
- Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until you no longer see clumps or streaks of flour.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each muffin paper about ⅔ to ¾ full. You will end up with between 12-14 cupcakes. Do not fill the cupcake liners past ¾ full or your cupcakes can overflow and then sink while baking.
- Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 21-23 minutes, or until the tops look set and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the cupcakes in the pan for about 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire cooling rack to continue cooling.
Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Then beat in the cream cheese.
- Add in 1 ½ cups powdered sugar and beat until incorporated.
- Then mix in ½ cup of fully cooled salted caramel sauce. Be sure that the caramel is no longer even lightly warm - otherwise it will melt the butter and the frosting will separate.
- Beat in the rest of the powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time until the desired sweetness is reached. Optionally, beat in a little extra salt for a more salted caramel flavor.
- Frost the fully cooled cupcakes either with a knife or a piping bag. I used a 1M piping bag, starting with a circle around the outer edges of the cupcake and swirling to the top.
- Optionally, drizzle with remaining salted caramel. I placed salted caramel in a small freezer bag, cut off the end of the bag and used it as a piping bag to drizzle more caramel on top of each cupcake.
Notes
- Salted Caramel Sauce: Feel free to use your own favorite recipe or store bought salted caramel. Be sure to use a caramel that is very thick and flavorful. Do not use something that comes in a squeeze tube, as a find these types of caramel are too thin for making frosting.Â
- Apple: Use a tart, crisp apple for the best flavor. Peel the apple first, then grate with a cheese grater.Â
- Milk: I recommend using 2% or whole milk for this recipe.Â
- Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting: If you prefer a regular salted caramel frosting instead of caramel cream cheese frosting, replace the 2 ounces of cream cheese with an extra ¼ cup unsalted butter. You may need to beat in 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream at the end.Â
- Cream Cheese:Â Be sure to use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese. Do not use anything that comes in a tub or is labeled spreadable, light, low fat or low calorie.
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only and based on 1 cupcake with frosting, assuming the recipe yields 12 uniform cupcakes.Â
- Make Ahead Tips:Â Make the caramel up to 2 weeks before you plan to serve. Cool fully, then store in an airtight container in the fridge. Make the cupcakes the day before you plan to serve. Cool fully and store in an airtight container at room temperature overnight. Make the frosting the day you plan to serve.Â
- Storage: Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 8 hours. Let the cupcakes sit on the counter for 30 minutes before enjoying.Â
Nutrition
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