Deliciously moist, perfectly spiced apple cupcakes topped with a swirl of salted caramel buttercream and drizzled with homemade salted caramel sauce – these are the ideal Fall cupcakes if you ask me! The apple cupcakes are so simple to make with simple ingredients, and I love that the salted caramel is used as both a flavoring for the buttercream and a topping for the cupcakes. Even if you’ve never made caramel from scratch before, my recipe is incredibly beginner-friendly, uses just four ingredients, doesn’t require a candy thermometer or any fancy techniques to make perfect salted caramel every time.
Why You’ll Love These Caramel Apple Cupcakes
- Easy to Make with Simple Ingredients. Each of the three elements that make up these caramel apple cupcakes come together with simple ingredients and easy techniques. The batter for the apple cupcakes is whisked together by hand, the salted caramel is super beginner-friendly, and the buttercream comes together in just about 10 minutes once that caramel cools.
- Tastes Like Caramel Apples in Cupcake Form. Between the spiced apple cupcakes and the salty-sweet caramel elements, these cupcakes have the perfect caramel apple flavor profile!
- Perfect Opportunity to Make Homemade Salted Caramel. Whether you’ve made salted caramel from scratch before or you’ve been waiting to try it, this recipe includes a fail-proof salted caramel recipe that comes together easily with less than a handful of ingredients.
- Ideal Cupcakes for Any Fall Gathering. This caramel apple flavor is quintessential for Fall! These cupcakes are sure to be a hit at any Fall birthday or celebration.
Caramel Apple Cupcake Components
There are 3 components that make up these caramel apple cupcakes:
- Apple Cupcakes. These supremely moist cupcakes are flavored with warm spices and fresh grated apple to give them the perfect spiced apple flavor! They’re oil-based cupcakes, which makes them stay moist for days.
- Homemade Salted Caramel. My easy salted caramel recipe comes together in minutes with just four ingredients! The detailed instructions make this part of the recipe totally fail-proof, even if you’ve never made salted caramel from scratch before. You don’t even need a candy thermometer! The caramel is used to flavor the buttercream and top the cupcakes.
- Salted Caramel Buttercream. This salted caramel buttercream recipe is amazingly easy to make and has the perfect flavor from adding the homemade salted caramel right into the frosting.
Moist Spiced Apple Cupcakes
The batter for these apple cupcakes comes together quickly with simple ingredients you may already have on hand. The crumb is so moist and stays that way for days due to the vegetable oil in the recipe. You can use any neutral oil you love for baking (canola, refined avocado, etc), but I have also tested this recipe with melted butter and it worked really well. The only difference is that the cupcakes are a little more dense, but the flavor is still rich and delicious.
The flavor of these apple cupcakes comes from warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, plus fresh grated apple. I used Granny Smith apples in my cupcakes but you can use any other flavorful apple you prefer. Honeycrisp, Jazz, and Golden Delicious are also great choices.
Easy Homemade Salted Caramel
For the buttercream and the caramel topping, I whipped up a batch of my favorite easy salted caramel. I love this recipe because it uses just four ingredients (granulated sugar, unsalted butter, heavy whipping cream, and salt), comes together in minutes without any fancy techniques or equipment (no candy thermometer necessary!), and yields the most delicious salted caramel. For flawless results, read through the entire recipe beforehand so you know what to expect and be sure to use heavy whipping cream with at least 36% milkfat. Any less fat and the caramel won’t be as thick.
After making the salted caramel, let it cool completely to room temperature in the refrigerator. This can take about an hour, so plan for that in your baking session. You can also make the caramel ahead of time (up to 1 week before using in this recipe) and keep it stored in the refrigerator. That way you can gently heat it in the microwave to bring it back to room temperature before using in the salted caramel buttercream recipe and topping the cupcakes.
Silky Salted Caramel Buttercream
This salted caramel buttercream has the ideal salted caramel flavor from the homemade salted caramel sauce! It’s a really straightforward American buttercream recipe where you’ll combine the butter and powdered sugar, then add in flavoring: salted caramel sauce, vanilla, and salt. The finished buttercream is so silky smooth, perfectly salty-sweet, and tastes amazing on the apple cupcakes!
How to Make Salted Caramel Apple Cupcakes
Bake the Apple Cupcakes
The batter for these apple cupcakes comes together so easily! Basically whisk together the dry ingredients and set them aside while you grate the apple. Mix together the sugars and wet ingredients in a separate bowl, then whisk in the dry ingredients before folding in the grated apple.
Fill the cupcake tins ¾ full and bake at 350ºF (177ºC) for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Make the Salted Caramel
Cook the sugar until it melts into an amber colored liquid, then whisk in the butter until combined. Whisk in the heavy whipping cream, let the mixture boil for a minute, then add the salt.
Pour the salted caramel into a jar or glass container and refrigerate until room temperature. This will be used to make the salted caramel buttercream and top the cupcakes during assembly.
Make the Salted Caramel Buttercream
Whip the butter until smooth and creamy, then mix in the powdered sugar, followed by ½ cup of the (cooled!) salted caramel, vanilla, and salt.
Assemble the Caramel Apple Cupcakes
Once the cupcakes are cooled and the salted caramel buttercream is made, assemble the cupcakes. Place the salted caramel buttercream into a piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 1M and pipe a swirl onto each cupcake. Then, gently warm the salted caramel until it’s drip consistency but still room temperature. Spoon the salted caramel on top of each swirled cupcake.
Recipe FAQs
- Can I use store-bought salted caramel sauce instead of homemade? Yes. You can use any salted caramel sauce you love for the buttercream and topping. Just make sure it’s nice and thick. I do love using the homemade salted caramel personally – it’s only made with four ingredients, has the perfect salted caramel flavor, and is perfectly thick for adding to the buttercream and using as the topping.
- Can I use melted butter in place of the vegetable oil in the cupcake recipe? I have tested these apple cupcakes with an equal amount of melted unsalted butter and it worked well! Just be sure to cool the melted butter for about 10 minutes before you use it in the recipe. The cupcakes aren’t as fluffy without the oil though, so if you’re looking for a super moist and fluffy cupcake go with the oil. I use plain vegetable oil in this recipe but you can use any neutral oil you love for baking.
- How many apples do I need to grate to yield 1 ½ cups? One very large apple, or 1 ½ medium apples will get you 1 ½ cups (180g). For best results, weigh the grated apple (and all the other ingredients measured in grams) with a kitchen scale.
- How far in advance can I make caramel apple cupcakes? You can make and assemble these caramel apple cupcakes 1-2 days ahead of serving for best results. If you can, I would save topping the cupcakes with the caramel sauce for the day you serve them. You can also make the individual elements ahead of time so you can have everything ready to go on assembly day. See the notes of the recipe card for details.
- Can I top the cupcakes with an apple slice? If you want! Just be sure to save that part for the very last minute and consider tossing the apple slices in lemon juice so they don’t easily turn brown.
- Can I make this recipe as a salted caramel apple cake? I have a dedicated salted caramel apple cake recipe here. That’s what I’d recommend instead of trying to bake this cupcake recipe as a layer cake!
Similar Recipes You’ll Love
If you love these caramel apple cupcakes, here are some other recipes from my blog to add to your baking list:
- Salted Caramel Apple Cake
- Spiced Chai Cupcakes
- Perfect Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Apple Spice Cake
- Apple Crisp Cake
I hope you love these caramel apple cupcakes as much as I do! Let me know if you make them in the comments below (be sure to leave a star rating!) and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram to show me if you post a photo. I love to see what you create with my recipes!
Caramel Apple Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
Spiced Apple Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 Cups (199g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1 1/2 Cups (180g) apple, peeled and grated 1 large or 1 1/2 medium apples
- 1/2 Cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1/2 Cup (100g) packed brown sugar light or dark
- 1/2 Cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/3 Cup whole milk, room temperature
Homemade Salted Caramel
- 1 Cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 6 Tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into slices
- 1/2 Cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream, room temperature
- 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Salted Caramel Buttercream
- 1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 Cups (360g) powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 Cup (120ml) salted caramel, room temperature recipe above
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
Bake the Spiced Apple Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with more liners—this recipe makes about 16 cupcakes. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside.
- Peel and core the apple, then use the large size of a box grater to shred the apple until you have 1 1/2 Cups (180g). Set aside.
- In a second medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until combined. Add the vanilla, eggs, and milk and whisk until combined. Add the dry ingredients and whisk until mostly combined, then fold in the apples with a silicone spatula.
- Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full and bake for 16-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Cool completely to room temperature while you make the salted caramel.
Make the Salted Caramel
- Have everything pre-measured and ready to go (you’ll be constantly stirring). Place the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, until it melts into an amber-colored liquid and no sugar clumps remain, 5-6 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Carefully add the butter (it will bubble up when you do) and use a whisk to combine it with the sugar mixture until the butter is fully melted and incorporated, 2-3 minutes.
- Add the heavy whipping cream in a steady stream while whisking. As soon as the cream is incorporated, let the caramel boil for a full minute before removing it from the heat and stirring in the salt.
- Pour the salted caramel into a glass jar or container and refrigerate until room temperature, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. You can make this element ahead and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. It will thicken as it cools and solidify when cold. If needed, bring it back to room temperature by gently heating in the microwave in 10 second increments, stirring after each one, until room temperature and pourable.
Make the Salted Caramel Buttercream
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter on high until it’s creamy and light in color, 5-6 minutes.
- Turn the mixer to low and add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down the bowl and paddle after each interval.
- With the mixer still on low, mix in the vanilla extract, 1/2 cup of the salted caramel (reserve the rest for drizzling the cupcakes!), and salt. Continue mixing on low speed until fully combined and smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
Assembly
- When the apple cupcakes are completely cooled, place the salted caramel buttercream into a piping bag fitted with Wilton Tip 1M and pipe a swirl onto each cupcake. If needed, gently warm the reserved salted caramel in the microwave in 5-10 second increments until it's pourable but room temperature (any warmer and you may slightly melt the buttercream). Use a spoon or piping bag to drizzle salted caramel onto each cupcake.
Notes
- The spiced apple cupcakes can be made ahead and stored at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively, they can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two months.
- The salted caramel can be made ahead and stored ahead in an airtight glass jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. When you’re ready to use it, reheat it in the microwave in 10 second intervals, stirring after each one, until room temperature and pourable.
- The salted caramel buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-mix with your stand mixer on low speed to bring it back to smooth buttercream consistency.
- Frost 12-15 cupcakes with a piping bag
- Fill and crumb coat a three-layer 6-inch cake or two-layer 8-inch cake. To have enough for frosting and decorating as well, double the recipe.
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