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Apple Spice Cupcakes – Classic spice cake with apples and topped with a cinnamon brown sugar frosting. The perfect apple cupcakes for fall!
I think that fall is my favorite season. I love when the weather starts to cool down after a hot summer. Plus apple treats are are some of my favorite, so that helps as well!
Apple Cider Donuts are a must every year! There is just something about going apple picking, getting fresh cider and turning it into countless treats.
When I was growing up these Apple Bars were a must every year. My grandma used to make multiple sheet pans of them when the whole family would get together. They were always such a hit, everyone devoured them so fast!
Now I like to mix it up with all sorts of different apple desserts. The Apple Blondies are one of my favorite. There is just something about brown sugar and apples together. Which is why I love this brown sugar frosting so much on these apple cupcakes.
Why You’ll Love These Apple Cupcakes
- Fall Flavors – great use of apple and cinnamon and all the fall flavors that you know and love!
- Easy – It is a homemade recipe, but it is really easy to make using a mixer. If you can measure ingredients, you can make homemade cupcakes!
- Tasty – The spice frosting on top just makes these scream fall and are extra delicious.
What You’ll Need
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Cinnamon
- Ground Cloves
- Ground Nutmeg
- Salt
- Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Apple Cider – you could use apple juice as well it just won’t have quite as strong of a flavor
- Apples
- Powdered Sugar
- Milk
How To Make Apple Cupcakes
- Mix Dry – whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt.
- Mix Wet – In an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. Then add in the eggs and vanilla and beat until the eggs are fully incorporated.
- Combine. With your mixer on low alternate adding in the flour mixture with the apple cider until it is just combined. You want the flour streaks to just disappear, and not overmix.
- Add Apples. Next you fold in the shredded apples with a spatula.
- Bake. Fill your muffin cups and bake.
- Make Frosting. In a bowl cream together all of the ingredients for the frosting until you get a spreadable consistency. You may need to adjust the milk or sugar if your mixture is too thin or thick.
- Frost. Once the cupcakes have cooled completely top with the frosting.
Storage
You will want to store cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can also freeze them. Personally, if I am going to freeze them, I like to freeze them unfrosted. They work with freezing the frosting, I just think it loses a little moisture and makes the cupcakes a little different. But do whatever works for you!
If you have extra apple cider you can even turn it into a fun cocktail! This Apple Cider Moscow Mule is a fun drink you can enjoy while snacking on these apple cider cupcakes. Or try this Apple Cider Cocktail as well.
More Fun Fall Desserts
Apple Spice Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
Apple Spice Cupcakes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 whole large eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup apple cider or juice
- 1 cup apples, shredded
Cinnamon Brown Sugar Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin or 24 cup mini muffin tin with liners.
- In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla until well combined and the eggs are fully incorporated.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and the apple cider until well combined.
- Fold in the shredded apple until evenly distributed
- Fill muffin cups and bake. For mini cupcakes bake for about 12 minutes. For full size cupcakes bake for 18-20 minutes. A tester should come out clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting.
- Meanwhile prepare the frosting. Mix together all of the ingredients until flight and fluffy. Adjust the milk and powdered sugar if necessary to get to the desired texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Fall is my favoirte season because of all the apple flavored things! I neeeeeed these cupcakes!
Sounds really awesome! Our whole fam will definitely love this, can’t wait to try!
These look mouth-watering I cannot wait to make these bad boys!
What a delicious treat! This is exactly what I needed to cure my sweet tooth! Yum!
We are baking cupcakes every weekend! I love how good they look!
I sprinkled salted and buttered roasted pecan pieces on top of the cupcakes which turned out amazing! The salty, nutty flavor really balanced out the super sweet frosting. The cake itself was amazingly tasty and moist. So delicious. My only comment would be regarding the 10 minute estimated prep time. If you’re considering making this, give yourself at least 30 mins to peel and grate the apple and get all the cake ingredients together, plus make the frosting too.
What apples would you suggest works and tastes best with this recipe? It sounds so very yummy 🙂
I usually like baking with a mix – Braeburn and Granny Smith mixed are delicious. Or if you can’t find Braeburn, Fiji or Gala are great as well
Could you make these without the grated apple.
I haven’t tried it, so I don’t know for user. It would probably work, but they might be dry. You could try adding some more moisture to compensate.
I have to make an apple spice cake for a dinner I’m going to tonight. Coincidentally, I just saw your recipe. I’m changing course and going to make yours. Thanks!