Salted Caramel Apple Cupcakes are the tastiest way to use up apples! Salted caramel oozes over little individual spiced apple cakes that are topped with apple-infused icing that takes the flavor over the top. These are irresistible!
Why This Recipe Works
Warning: I’m about to unleash an abnormal amount of apple recipes here on Pip and Ebby. I have a thing for baking and cooking with apples, the same way I have a thing for watching scary movies in the fall. My boys are back at school this week, so I’ve had extra time to be in the kitchen.
The apples in my fruit bowl were staring me down, so my only option was to dust off my apple peeler/corer and get busy! These Salted Caramel Apple Cupcakes were the first things to come out of my apple frenzy and ohhhhhh my goodness I started off on a good note. They are absolutely, insanely delicious. And easy! Be ready to knock people’s socks off with these babies.
Recipe Ingredients
Milk – Make sure the milk used in the recipe is at room temperature. If you don’t make time for this, microwave it straight from the fridge for 30 seconds.
Freeze-dried apples – (for the icing) can be found at Wal-Mart and they are either sitting out by the fruit or tucked back on the shelves next to the dried fruit/raisins.
Toppings – You can purchase salted caramel in a jar at the grocery store or you can
How To Make Apple Cupcakes With Salted Caramel
Make The Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a cupcake tin with liners. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), combine the butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla extract and beat on medium-low speed until creamy. Add the milk and mix until just combined (batter will be runny).
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix well. Gradually add to the butter mixture and beat on medium-low speed until just combined. Fold in the apples.
Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners so each is 2/3 of the way full. Bake cupcakes in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Let cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter.
Make The Icing
In a large bowl, add the cups of powdered sugar (using whisk attachments) the confectioners’ sugar, apple powder and apple juice. Mix on medium speed until smooth.
Assemble The Cupcakes
Spread the icing over the tops of the cupcakes. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the top and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Recipe Notes
- Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full with the batter and do not go past this point or your cupcakes will grow muffin tops.
- Use two different types of apples for a more complex flavor (one tart, one sweet!). See below for ideas of which to buy!
- Assemble the cupcakes as close to serving as possible and sprinkle the salt over the tops just before hungry hands start reaching for them.
Which Apples Are Good For Baking
I recommend using a variety of apples and at the very least, use two kinds: one sweet and one tart. My favorite combo is Granny Smith apples and Honeycrisp apples.
I recommend using a variety and at the very least, use two kinds of apples: one sweet and one tart. My favorite combo is Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples.
Sweet/Softer Apple Brands
- Fuji
- Honeycrisp
- Red Delicious
- Golden Delicious
- Cortland
- Gala
Tart (or a little Sour) Apple Brands
- Granny Smith
- McIntosh
- Ida Red
- Braeburn
- Empire
- Jonathan
Now please tell me I’m not the only one. Raise your hand if you love apples as much as I do and then leave me a comment. I gotta know I’m not alone.
FAQ About Cupcakes
You can keep cupcakes in an airtight container on the counter and they will not go stale overnight. Enjoy your cupcakes for 3-5 days.
Cupcakes freeze easily. Once they have cooled and you frost them, place the cupcakes in an air tight container and they will stay good for about 3 months.
Cupcakes and muffins are not the same. There’s a higher amount of sugar and butter in cupcakes than muffins. You will cream the butter and sugar together to start cupcakes in order to get smooth, light cupcakes.
Make sure you leave the oven door shut while baking your cupcakes so you allow the gluten and fat in the batter to set.
Cupcakes are moist if you exchange butter for oil. Another tip to increase a cupcakes moistness is to add a packet of pudding to the mixture.
Fall Apple Recipes
- Appledoodles – These fabulous cookies are a fun twist on the classic snickerdoodles! Great way to use up apples in the fall!
- Apple Carrot Cake Muffins – Apples and carrots create the most delicious little muffin you could ever imagine. These babies are moist and yummy and will not last long in your kitchen. Great as a snack, breakfast or dessert!
- Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake – the only thing better than salted caramel apples is Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake! This is the perfect fall treat and a great way to use up any type of apples.
- Apple French Toast Bake – Transform classic French Toast into an appley indulgence! Prepare this easy Apple French Toast Bake recipe the night before so there’s no morning prep! It’s also wonderful as a make and bake option. Pour some maple syrup over the steamy cinnamon apples and you’ll have a tasty breakfast for 1 or many!
More Delicious Fruit Recipes
- No Bake Strawberry Pie – This no-bake, FRESH Strawberry Pie is a great dessert for gatherings of any kind. It is super easy to prepare and it is packed with delicious strawberry flavor!
- Fruit Pizza – the classic, crowd-pleasing Fruit Pizza has a cookie dough crust, dreamy cream cheese frosting and a colorful top layer of fruit and a tasty glaze. Let your creative side shine while decorating your pizza and enjoy popping a bite of fresh fruit into your mouth.
- Apricot Cheesecake Pockets – These apricot gems are fruity, cheesy and super yummy! Bring these to your next party for a bit of a cookie twist!
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Salted Caramel Apple Cupcakes
Ingredients
CUPCAKES
- 1/2 cup salted butter softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk at room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 medium apples cored, peeled and chopped
ICING
- 3 cups confectioners sugar
- 1/4 cup apple powder place freeze-dried apples in a ziploc bag and pound with a heavy spoon until powder forms
- 6 tbsp. apple juice
TOPPING
- 1/2 cup salted caramel topping
- Coarse sea salt
Instructions
MAKE THE CUPCAKES
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a cupcake tin with liners. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), combine the butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla extract and beat on medium-low speed until creamy. Add the milk and mix until just combined (batter will be runny).
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix well. Gradually add to the butter mixture and beat on medium-low speed until just combined. Fold in the apples.
- Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners so each is 2/3 of the way full. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Let cool. Repeat with remaining batter.
MAKE THE ICING
- In a large bowl, combine (using whisk attachments) the confectioners’ sugar, apple powder and apple juice. Mix on medium speed until smooth.
ASSEMBLE THE CUPCAKES
- Spread the icing over the tops of the cupcakes. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the top and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full with the batter and do not go past this point or your cupcakes will grow muffin tops.
- Freeze-dried apples (for the icing) can be found at Wal-Mart and they are either sitting out by the fruit or tucked back on the shelves next to the dried fruit/raisins.
- Use two different types of apples for a more complex flavor (one tart, one sweet!). See below for ideas of which to buy!
- Make sure the milk used in the recipe is at room temperature. If you don’t make time for this, microwave it straight from the fridge for 30 seconds.
- Assemble the cupcakes as close to serving as possible and sprinkle the salt over the tops just before hungry hands start reaching for them.
omg they look so pretty! and perfect for the fall season! 🙂
Definitely worth making to enjoy a fall day treat with!