Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Deliciously moist spiced apple cupcakes topped with caramel buttercream and homemade salted caramel sauce. Like caramel apples in cupcake form!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 25

Cooling Time 2

Total Time 3

Servings 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.

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.

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.

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.

Make Ahead Tips:

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.

Yield: This buttercream makes enough to:

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.