Description
Scrumptious caramel apple cupcakes blend autumn’s warmest flavors into one delightful dessert. Cinnamon-spiced cake topped with silky caramel frosting offers sweet comfort for seasonal celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 0.75 cup (180 milliliters) milk
- 1 cup finely chopped apple
- 0.25 cup (56 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 0.25 cup (60 milliliters) vegetable oil
- 1.5 tsps baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 0.125 tsp ground nutmeg
- 0.25 tsp salt
- 0.25 cup (52 grams) sugar
- 0.5 cup (112 grams) packed brown sugar
- 0.75 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsps (43 grams) sour cream
- 1.25 cups (280 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 5 cups (575 grams) powdered sugar
- 4–6 tbsps caramel sauce
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- Additional caramel sauce, for drizzling
- Apple slices, for decorating
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F and line cupcake pan with decorative liners.
- Dry Ingredients: Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a mixing bowl, whisking until thoroughly integrated.
- Wet Foundation: Cream butter, oil, and sugars in a large bowl until light and fluffy, creating a smooth base mixture.
- Liquid Integration: Mix in vanilla extract and sour cream, ensuring complete incorporation of all ingredients.
- Egg Incorporation: Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly and scraping bowl sides to maintain consistent texture.
- Batter Assembly: Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, alternating with milk to create a silky, well-blended batter. Gently fold in diced apples, distributing evenly throughout.
- Baking Process: Fill cupcake liners three-quarters full and bake for 15-18 minutes, confirming doneness with a clean skewer test.
- Cooling Stage: Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack, allowing complete cooling before frosting.
- Frosting Creation: Whip butter until smooth, gradually adding powdered sugar and incorporating caramel sauce with warming spices to develop a rich, aromatic buttercream.
- Finishing Touches: Pipe caramel-infused frosting onto cooled cupcakes, drizzle with additional caramel, and garnish with a subtle apple accent. Store in sealed container, refrigerated for 2-3 days, serving at room temperature.
Notes
- Precision Matters: Measure ingredients carefully to maintain the perfect balance of flavors and texture in your cupcakes.
- Apple Selection Tip: Choose firm, tart apples like Granny Smith for optimal moisture and a slight tangy contrast in the batter.
- Temperature Control: Allow butter, eggs, and dairy to reach room temperature before mixing to ensure smooth, even incorporation.
- Frosting Finesse: Refrigerate buttercream briefly if it becomes too soft, helping create clean, beautiful piping designs.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-18 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 31 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg