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Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Soft, moist apple cinnamon cupcakes made with buttermilk and apple cider syrup, topped with a rich homemade caramel frosting. All the flavors of a caramel apple in cupcake form — and somehow even better
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Basics, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Cupcakes
  • 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • ¼ cup sour cream, room temperature
  • ¾ cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • ¼ cup apple cider syrup
For the Caramel Frosting
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • ⅓ cup + 2 tbsp heavy cream, divided
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
For Decoration (Optional)
  • sprinkles, chopped peanuts, or mini chocolate chips
  • additional apple cider syrup for drizzling

Method
 

Make the Cupcakes
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 cups of a muffin tin with cupcake wrappers
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until uniform. Set aside
  3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar together until the sugar is completely dissolved
  4. Whisk in the egg and apple cider syrup until smooth. Stir in the sour cream and buttermilk
  5. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until no lumps remain. Do not overmix
  6. Fill each cupcake wrapper approximately ¾ full with batter — it should divide roughly evenly between 12 cups
  7. Bake for 20–23 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops spring back when lightly pressed. If the tops feel spongy when pressed, bake for another 2–3 minutes
  8. Remove from the muffin tin and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting
Make the Caramel Frosting
  1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the brown sugar and ⅓ cup of the heavy cream until the sugar is fully dissolved
  2. Bring to a boil and let it cook for exactly 3 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and cool at room temperature for 15 minutes
  3. After 15 minutes, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and beat with an electric mixer until smooth
  4. Beat in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until the frosting is thick and creamy
Frost and Decorate
  1. Once cupcakes are completely cool, load frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip such as a Wilton 1A. Hold the tip about ¼ inch above the center of each cupcake and squeeze without moving the tip — the frosting will spread outward into a mound. Gently nudge the tip to create a swirl if desired
  2. Decorate with sprinkles, chopped peanuts, mini chocolate chips, or a drizzle of extra apple cider syrup if desired
  3. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

Notes

Apple cider syrup is made by boiling unsweetened apple cider until reduced to about ⅛ its original volume — 1 gallon of cider yields about 2 cups of syrup. You can also buy it ready-made. Make sure the butter, egg, sour cream, and buttermilk are all at room temperature before mixing for the best batter consistency. Do not overmix the batter once the dry ingredients are added or the cupcakes will be tough. The caramel frosting must cool for the full 15 minutes before beating or it will not come together properly. If a piped blob goes off center simply lift it off and re-pipe