Description
Delight in these moist and flavorful Apple Cupcakes topped with a rich and creamy Salted Caramel Frosting. Perfectly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, these cupcakes combine the sweet-tart taste of fresh apples with the decadent caramel topping, making them an ideal dessert for fall or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
For the cupcakes:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 1/4 cups peeled and finely chopped apples (about 2 small apples)
For the salted caramel frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and muffin tin: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners to ensure easy cupcake removal and cleanup.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt until well combined to evenly distribute the leavening agents and spices.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar and light brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create a tender, airy cupcake crumb.
- Add eggs and flavorings: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to fully incorporate. Then stir in the vanilla extract and sour cream for moisture and flavor.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined to avoid overmixing which can make cupcakes dense.
- Fold in apples: Gently fold in the finely chopped peeled apples to evenly distribute fruit without deflating the batter.
- Fill muffin cups: Divide the batter evenly among the paper liners, filling each about two-thirds full to leave room for rising during baking.
- Bake the cupcakes: Bake in the preheated oven for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating doneness.
- Cool cupcakes: Remove from oven and allow cupcakes to cool completely in the tin before frosting to prevent melting the frosting.
- Make the salted caramel frosting: Melt the unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the light brown sugar and heavy cream, then bring the mixture to a gentle boil and cook for 2–3 minutes to thicken and develop flavor.
- Finish the frosting base: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in vanilla extract and sea salt. Let the mixture cool 10–15 minutes to avoid melting the powdered sugar.
- Add powdered sugar: Beat in the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth, fluffy, and pipeable; adjust thickness as needed.
- Frost the cupcakes: Spread or pipe the salted caramel frosting onto the cooled cupcakes, then serve or store as desired.
Notes
- Use sweet-tart apple varieties like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith for the best flavor contrast and texture in the cupcakes.
- The frosting will thicken as it cools; adjust the consistency by adding a small amount of extra heavy cream to thin it out, or more powdered sugar to thicken.
