Spiced Apple Cupcakes Recipe

As I am making my way back from Savannah, Georgia, to New York City, and enjoying the last days of summer, I am also prepping for the fall to start. We’re just a week away after all, even if the weather feels like we’re still in the height of summer. The next installment of my fall baking recipes are those delicious spiced apple cupcakes!

RELATED – Blackberry & Cinnamon Autumn Cupcakes.

Obviously, cinnamon is a key spice in the fall. Whether you use it to make pumpkin spice latte, a fall pavlova or any other bake, it will be there. Sometimes, even as part of autumn cocktails. This spiced apple cupcakes recipe makes not exception as you’ll get the lovely spice in the cupcake sponge, the apple compote and the meringue buttercream! Excited? So am I! So scroll down for the recipe!

RELATED – Pumpkin spice macarons recipe.

Ingredients

Cupcakes	Vanilla Syrup	Caramel sauce	Apple Compote	Cream cheese frosting
110g unsalted butter (room temp) 240g sugar 145g brown sugar 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon 3 eggs 270g flour 240g buttermilk 1 tsp white vinegar 1 tsp baking soda 180g apples Gum balls or choco balls Edible pearls	100g sugar 100ml water 1 tsp vanilla	200g granulated sugar 6 tbsp (room temp) 120ml heavy cream 1 tsp salt	2 apples 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp vanilla extract	270g cream cheese 300g butter (room temp) 650g icing sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla 1 tsp cinnamon

Method

Make the vanilla syrup

1. Put the sugar, water and vanilla extract in a small saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil until the sugar is dissolve.
3. Transfer to a sealable container and allow to cool.
4. Store in the fridge for future use.

Make the caramel sauce

1. Heat sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly.
2. Let sugar melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid, still stirring.
3. Once sugar is completely melted, immediately stir in the butter until melted and combined.
4. Once butter is fully combined, stir in heavy cream slowly.
5. Stop stirring and bring to a boil. Let boil for about a minute.
6. Remove from the heat and stir in salt.
7. Allow to cool slightly before using. Caramel will harden as it cools.
8. Store in a sealable container, like a mason jar, and store in the fridge when not using.
9. Reheat caramel in a microwave if needed. If you do not have a microwave, boil some water and pour in a salad bowl or sauce pan. Put the mason jar containing caramel in the water and let melt for a few minutes. Use immediately.

Make the spiced apple compote

1. Dice the apples, and add to a saucepan with the lemon juice.
2. Cook for about 10 minutes on low heat until you have a thick compote.
3. Stir in vanilla extract.
4. Allow the compote to cool completely.

Make the cream cheese frosting

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese until smooth.
2. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and icing sugar until pale and fluffy.
3. Add the cream cheese to the butter and mix until combined.
4. Stir in the cinnamon and vanilla.
5. Cover the bowl with cling film and chill until set.

Make the spiced apple cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (or 175°C).
2. Line the cupcake tray with cupcake liners.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, salt, caster sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon together until pale and fluffy.
4. In another bowl, beat the eggs, then add them to the butter mix little by little while still mixing.
5. Starting and ending with the flour, and alternating between the 2, add flour and buttermilk until combined.
6. In a small bowl, combine the white vinegar and baking soda. Add to the mix as it bubbles up.
7. Add two tablespoons worth of batter to each liner.
8. Dice the apples and add a few cubes on top of the batter in each case.
9. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes. Insert a knife or toothpick to see if cooked fully. The toothpick should come out clean.
10. Remove from the oven  and leave to rest for a few minutes. Brush some vanilla syrup on the tops of the cupcake.
11. Remove the cupcakes from the tray and leave to rest until completely cool.

Assemble the spiced apple cupcakes

1. Remove the cream cheese frosting from the fridge and spoon into a large pipping bag fitted with a star tip.
2. Pipe a swirl of frosting on top of each cupcake.
3. Spoon a small amount of apple compote on top of each swirl and drizzle with caramel sauce.
4. Decorate each cupcake with a big gum ball and smaller pearls.
5. Serve immediately and enjoy at room temperature; or store in the fridge for later.

What do you think of this spiced apple cupcakes recipe? Will you give it a go? Do you often bake with cinnamon? What’s your favorite autumn recipe of mine so far? Or ever?

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Thanks a lot for stopping by. Hope you liked this post.

See you soon,
Love,
Corinne.