Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Caramel Apple Cupcakes are made with an apple and caramel homemade cupcake recipe then topped with a delicious caramel buttercream frosting, a fresh apple wedge, and a drizzle of caramel to make them the most delicious fall cupcake ever!

Do you love cupcakes? Our house is split with half of the house preferring treats like pie for holiday celebrations & the rest of us prefer something like cake or cookies.

So when it comes to the holidays – I like to offer a nice variety of goodies so everyone is happy and fulfilled. That’s where these caramel apple cupcakes come into play.

What could be more fall-like than caramel and apples? I suppose many would say pumpkin – and you wouldn’t be wrong. But since we have an abundance of apples here from our orchard – I’m all about the apple.

But for me – apples simply MUST be paired with caramel. The two go hand in hand and make these cupcakes so scrumptious that your eyes will roll back and you will be in heaven from the first bite. I can’t get enough and I know you will love them too.

Don’t miss these adorable owl cupcakes for fall!

apple cupcakes recipes

Here are some commonly asked questions

What is the best way to store leftover caramel apple cupcakes?

Don’t let them sit out for too long. After serving, please them in an airtight container.

Because of the buttercream frosting, I like to keep them refrigerated and then remove what we plan to have for dessert when I am serving dinner. This way they can come to room temperature while we have dinner and they are just perfect for dessert.

They will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

How do I properly measure the flour?

The official way is to spoon the flour into the measuring cup & level off. This makes sure the flour isn’t packed tightly into your measuring cup, adding more than you need, as that will make your recipe too dry.

Should I use light or dark brown sugar?

Since I make my own brown sugar, I use light brown sugar for almost all of my recipes. But Light or dark brown sugar will work in this recipe.

Want to know how to make your own brown sugar – visit my Homemade Brown Sugar post here.

cupcakes apple

How to soften the butter to room temperature?

First

There are a couple of ways to do this. The first being that you can take the butter (& any other ingredients that need to be at room temperature) out, leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes while you prep for baking.

I usually start with all my chilled ingredients and pull everything I need out onto the counter before getting started – so I know for sure I have everything before I’m mid-way through I realize I’m out of something.

But sometimes it’s winter and that isn’t enough time to get the ingredients warmed up – OR – I’m just not that organized to plan ahead. It happens. So I have another couple of tricks.

Second

I place the butter in the microwave – wrapped in the paper. (don’t do this if it is wrapped in foil) Then I microwave for 2 seconds – flip – go another 2 seconds – flip again – and continue for 2 seconds on each side.

This is usually enough to get it perfect – sometimes stopping before if it feels soft enough. Take care when doing this method – overly softened butter from the microwave WILL ALTER the end result of the recipe. Don’t over-do it.

Third

My third method is to place the wrapped butter sticks in a zip-top bag and place it in a bowl of warm water. I do this with the eggs too. If the water isn’t too hot it can be THE PERFECT way to get “room-temperature” ingredients.

Why do the ingredients need to be at room temperature?

Room temperature ingredients help to ensure that everything blends together perfectly. You don’t want any pockets of unblended butter. You want everything evenly disbursed for the perfect texture.

When your dairy products are at room temperature, they can create an emulsion. It’s essential to have an emulsion because air gets trapped, so the baked goods expand and get fluffy as it bakes.

caramel cupcakes

Ingredients for Caramel Apple Cupcakes

• all-purpose flour
• light brown sugar
• baking powder
• ground cinnamon
• whole milk
• vegetable oil
• unsweetened applesauce
• good quality caramel sauce
• large eggs
• pure vanilla extract
• shredded granny smith apple

Frosting

• butter softened
• good quality caramel sauce
• confectioner’s sugar

Can these cupcakes be made ahead of time?

You bet. The cupcakes can be made and decorated ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days prior to serving – EXCEPT FOR THE APPLE WEDGE. The apples will turn brown as they are exposed to the air – as you probably know. I recommend adding those right before serving.

Make sure to cover tightly with plastic wrap or keep them in an airtight container so they don’t dry out.

caramel apple cake

How to Make Caramel Apple Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 12-count muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, applesauce, caramel sauce, eggs, and vanilla.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until no large lumps of flour remain.
5. Next, add the shredded apple and fold it into the batter.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin tins making sure to fill each one ¾ of the way full.
7. Bake the cupcakes for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean- or when the tops spring back when gently pressed.
8. Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

Can this recipe be doubled?

Yes, absolutely. This recipe makes 12 cupcakes – So if you need more – maybe for your Thanksgiving dessert as an alternative to pie – doubling is super easy.

fall cupcakes

Should I use salted or unsalted butter?

This is really a personal preference. If you are happy with just a little salt to cut the sweetness, then use unsalted butter.

I use salted butter when cooking most of the time. If using unsalted, add 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt.

Can caramel apple cupcakes be frozen?

You bet they can. Once baked – these cupcakes can be frozen at all stages of the creation process. I like to remove the freshly baked and cooled cupcakes from the pan, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and freeze them for later use. (this is also handy when you want to work with cold cakes to keep the frosting from getting too soft.)

You can also gently wrap the completely decorated cupcakes and freeze them until you need them. Remember that the frosting won’t be completely firm and can still be dented if something gets pushed up against it while in the freezer.

Just make sure to thaw it in the fridge the night before as they do taste best when not frozen. I also like to leave them at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving so the frosting is more creamy than stiff.

apple cinnamon cupcakes

How to Make Caramel Frosting

1. Add the softened butter and caramel sauce to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, or until they are fully combined.
2. With the mixer on low, slowly add the confectioner’s sugar.
3. Once all the confectioner’s sugar has been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and then turn the mixer to high speed and beat until the frosting becomes light and fluffy.
4. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip and decorate as desired.
5. Store any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

Can these be made with a box mix?

Sure! If you are tight on time and want to just whip up the cupcakes using a box mix – that will work fine too. That being said – I am not sure how the box mix will perform if you are adding the shredded apples and caramel. You might want to leave those out.

You can even use the canned frosting – I think it is available in caramel flavor.

That being said – this recipe is so scrumptious and doesn’t really take that much longer than using the pre-made mix. I highly recommend you giving it a try.

apple cupcake recipes

DON’T MISS THESE HOLIDAY E-BOOKS!

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If you love this Apple Cupcake recipe, you’re going to love these other fall treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

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Products I love when making caramel apple cupcakes…

This cupcake recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made homemade cupcakes before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this fall treat recipe.

• all-purpose flour
• light brown sugar
• baking powder
• ground cinnamon
• vegetable oil
• unsweetened applesauce
• pure vanilla extract
• caramel sauce
• confectioner’s sugar
• cupcake pan
• cupcake liners
• frosting bag
• piping tip
• piping bag couplers
• mixer

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