Caramel Apple Cupcakes

4.80 from 5 votes

Published on August 12, 2023

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From the spiced cupcakes to the caramel buttercream, these Caramel Apple Cupcakes are absolutely amazing. Each bite is a taste of Fall and such a delicious apple recipe.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

This is the best fall dessert and really simple to make. The cupcakes start with a box mix and then we jazz them up with apples and more. The frosting is a luscious homemade buttercream with caramel.

It gets even better because each cupcake is drizzled with more caramel sauce. It is an absolute delight and will definitely impress.

They are perfect for a party, gathering or just because. Everyone will love this cupcake recipe. We also make Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip for another fall treat.

Why you will love this recipe:

Starts with a Cake Mix. This is an easy short cut that results in fabulous cupcakes.
The best Caramel Buttercream. This frosting is homemade and so rich and delicious.
Easy to garnish. We drizzled extra caramel on top. You could also add apple slices or sprinkles.

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

Spice Cake Mix
Large Eggs
Water
Vegetable Oil
Chopped Peeled Apple

Frosting:

Unsalted Butter, softened at room temperature
Caramel Sauce
Vanilla extract
Powdered Sugar

For Serving:

Caramel Sauce
Ground Cinnamon

How to make Apple Caramel Cupcakes:

Step 1. Preheat the oven and prepare the muffin tins. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2 cupcake pans with baking cup liners.

Step 2. Combine the Cake Mix and ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cake mix dry ingredients, eggs, water and vegetable oil.

Step 3. Add the apples to the batter. Stir in the chopped apples. Pour the batter evenly into the cupcake pans.

Step 4. Bake the cupcakes. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.

Batter in a mixing bowl with ingredients.

Step 5. Let the cupcakes cool. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire racking before topping with frosting.

How to make the frosting:

Step 1. Beat the butter until fluffy. Beat the butter in a mixing bowl with a hand held or stand up mixer until light and fluffy.
Step 2. Add the caramel sauce. Mix in the caramel sauce and vanilla extract.

Step 3. Lower the mixer speed. Reduce the speed on the mixer to a low speed. Gradually add in the powdered sugar until the frosting has reached the desired consistency.

Serving:

Step 1. Place the caramel frosting into a piping bag. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
Step 2. Top with cinnamon and caramel. Sprinkle the tops of the cupcakes with the ground cinnamon and drizzle the caramel sauce on top.

Step 3. Serve the apple pie cupcakes. Then the cupcakes are ready to serve and enjoy!

Storage:

Refrigerate the leftover cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

Success Tips

Apples. Peel and dice the apples before adding to the batter. You don’t want to have large pieces of apple in the cupcakes. Another option is shredding the apples if you prefer the texture less chunky.
Cinnamon. If you don’t care for cinnamon, omit the topping. However, if you love it, feel free to add extra.
Adjust the powdered sugar. The recipe calls for 3 to 4 cups of powdered sugar. The consistency should be thick so you can pipe the frosting and it will hold up. Gradually add more until it is the desired texture.
Don’t overfill the muffin liners. Fill each one about ¾ full. You don’t want it to overflow and also need enough room for the frosting.
Allow to completely cool. The cupcakes should be cool before adding frosting. Adding the topping too soon will result in a messy cupcake as it will run.
Do not overmix the cupcake batter. Stir the ingredients until just combined. If you mix the cupcake batter too much, they will be tough.

Variations

Homemade Caramel Sauce. You can substitute homemade caramel sauce for store bought if you prefer. This will work in the frosting as well as the topping.
Top with an apple slice before serving. This is optional but you can top each cupcake with an apple slice. It adds a cute extra touch.

Make sure to do this right before serving so they don’t turn brown. You can also dip the apple slices in lemon juice if you need to top them in advance.
Cream Cheese Frosting. This is another tasty opton for frosting if you want something different. Cream Cheese frosting pairs well with the flavors of apple cupcakes.

What type of apples should I use?

We prefer Granny Smith apples because the tartness of the apples balance out the sweetness of the cupcakes and icing. However, you can use any variety of apples you prefer.

Other options include Gala, Rome or any baking apple. You can even combine more than one variation of apple in this recipe.

Can these cupcakes be made ahead of time?

The cupcakes and frosting can be made a day in advance. Store the cupcakes at covered at room temperature. The frosting can also be made a day in advance but store this in the fridge.

I prefer to assemble them the day I serve them. I don’t recommend adding the caramel syrup until serving.

Another option is to freeze the unfrosted cupcakes. Place inside a freezer container and freeze up to 3 months.

Allow to thaw at room temperature and then frost as normal. This is perfect for party prep.

Go ahead and do yourself a favor and make this yummy cupcake recipe. It is absolutely delicious and one of our favorite treats to make for Fall.

If you need an easy but stunning dessert for a Fall party, give this a try. It definitely will not disappoint. The cake mix is such a time saver and the frosting is really simple.