Description
Delight in these moist and fragrant Apple Spice Cupcakes, featuring warm spices and fresh apples baked into a tender cupcake base, topped with a creamy cinnamon buttercream frosting. Perfectly balanced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, these cupcakes offer a cozy and comforting treat ideal for fall or any time you crave a spiced dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (188 g) flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves or allspice (optional)
Wet Ingredients for Cupcakes
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) milk
- 1 large apple, peeled and grated or finely diced (about 1 cup or 125 g)
Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (226 g or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1–2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350° F (175° C). Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners and set aside to prepare for the batter.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves or allspice (if using). Whisk these ingredients thoroughly and set the mixture aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the room temperature butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Then add the eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Add half of the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Pour in the milk and mix again until incorporated. Then add the remaining flour mixture. Finally, gently fold in the diced or grated apple pieces by hand, being careful not to over-mix the batter to maintain the cupcakes’ tenderness.
- Fill Muffin Tin and Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about three-quarters full. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out with little to no crumbs. Remove from oven and transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting – Beat Butter: In a clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, whip the unsalted butter on high speed until light and fluffy, around 5 minutes.
- Add Sugar and Cinnamon: Gradually add the sifted confectioners’ sugar on low speed until fully incorporated. Increase speed to medium and mix in vanilla extract and ground cinnamon. Continue to beat for about one minute until the frosting is fluffy. Adjust the consistency by adding milk one tablespoon at a time until desired spreadability is reached.
- Frost Cupcakes: Transfer the cinnamon buttercream frosting to a piping bag fitted with your preferred tip. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Optionally, garnish with a light sprinkle of cinnamon or a thin slice of apple for decorative and extra flavor appeal.
Notes
- For best results, use room temperature ingredients to ensure even mixing and a smooth batter.
- If you prefer a less sweet frosting, reduce the confectioners’ sugar slightly and adjust milk consistency accordingly.
- Apples can be swapped with pears or peeled grated zucchini for a different twist.
- These cupcakes freeze well; freeze unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container, then frost after thawing.
- Make sure not to over-mix the batter once the apples are added to keep the cupcakes tender.
- To enhance spice flavor, toast the ground spices slightly before mixing them in.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
Keywords: apple cupcakes, spiced cupcakes, cinnamon cupcakes, fall desserts, buttercream frosting, apple spice dessert
