Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes
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These Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes are filled with homemade apple filling and covered in an easy cinnamon buttercream!
These Apple Cinnamon cupcakes are so perfect for fall! The cupcakes are flavored with cinnamon and filled with a homemade apple filling that tastes just like apple pie! They’re covered in a super delicious cinnamon buttercream that can be easily swapped out for vanilla or even maple buttercream. These cupcakes are so fluffy, moist and are a great alternative to pie for Thanksgiving!
For more apple recipes try my Caramel Apple Crumb Cake, Apple Galette or Apple Oatmeal Cookies!
Ingredient Breakdown
All-purpose flour – this gives the cupcakes structure.
Baking powder and baking soda – both are necessary to help the cupcakes rise.
Butter – provides flavor and structure. I always recommend using unsalted butter but salted butter works if that’s all you have on hand, just be sure to omit the 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Do not use cold or melted butter.
Granulated sugar – provides sweetness and texture.
Vegetable oil – adds moisture and tenderizes cupcakes.
Eggs – binds the ingredients and provides structure.
Vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt – enhances flavor. Always use pure vanilla extract instead of imitation for best flavor.
Buttermilk – adds flavor and moisture.
Apples – for apple filling. Granny Smith is my go-to but you can whatever apples you prefer. Try mixing up different kinds for more variety in flavor and texture!
How To Make Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes
1. Make the Apple Filling: place apples, sugar, butter, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small pot. Cook on medium stirring occasionally until bubbling and apples are tender.
2. Add cornstarch and stir until thickened. Allow to cool.
3. Make the Cinnamon Cupcakes: In a small bowl combine the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
4. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy then add the vegetable oil. Mix in the eggs one at a time then add the vanilla extract.
5. Fold in half of the dry ingredients then add all of the buttermilk. Fold in the remaining half of the dry ingredients until just combined.
6. Scoop batter into prepared pans 3/4 full. Bake at 350°F for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Make the Cinnamon Buttercream: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until light and fluffy.
8. Add confectioners’ sugar and mix on low until combined.
9. Add the cinnamon, vanilla extract and heavy cream or milk then beat until fluffy. Add salt to taste.
10. Cut a small hole in the center of each cupcake using a cupcake corer or a knife. Fill each cupcake with apple filling. Decorate cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream as desired. Store Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Pro Tips For Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes
- Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate.
- Don’t over mix the cupcake batter otherwise it will develop too much gluten and be dense/gummy.
- Do not over fill your cupcake liners. Only fill them 3/4 full. I love this cookie scoop because it fills them with the perfect amount of batter!
- Wait until the cupcakes are COMPLETELY COOLED before frosting otherwise the buttercream will melt and slide off.
My Favorite Cupcake Tools
- Kitchen scale I love this scale, I’ve been using it for years!
- Stand Mixer
- 12-count cupcake pans. I like having two of them so I bake off the whole batch all at once.
- Cupcake liners
- Cookie scoop. This one makes it so easy to scoop the perfect amount of batter for each cupcake.
- Mini offset spatula
- Piping tips and piping bags
- Ateco 846 I used this tip to pipe the cinnamon buttercream onto these cupcakes
If you try this recipe then please leave a rating/comment below to let me know how you liked it and feel free to ask any recipe questions you may have! 🙂
Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes
Equipment
- Two 12-count cupcake pans
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 2 apples peeled and diced small
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 14 g (1 tbsp) unsalted butter, cubed
- 8 g (2 tsp) lemon juice, strained
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- â…› tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp cornstarch
Cinnamon Cupcakes
- 270 g (2 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 300 g (1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
- 113 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 60 g (1/4 cup) vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 240 g (1 cup) buttermilk
Cinnamon Buttercream
- 226 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 480 g (4 cups) confectioners' sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 45 g (3 tbsp) heavy cream or milk
- salt, to taste
- Homemade Caramel Sauce for garnish optional
Instructions
Apple Filling
- Place apples, sugar, butter, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small pot. Cook on medium stirring occasionally until bubbling and apples are tender.
- Add cornstarch and stir until thickened. Allow to cool.
Cinnamon Cupcakes
- In a small bowl combine the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy then add the vegetable oil. Mix in the eggs one at a time then add the vanilla extract.
- Fold in half of the dry ingredients then add all of the buttermilk. Fold in the remaining half of the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Scoop batter into prepared pans 3/4 full. Bake cupcakes for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cinnamon Buttercream
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until light and fluffy.
- Add confectioners' sugar and mix on low until combined.
- Add the cinnamon, vanilla extract and heavy cream or milk then beat until fluffy. Add salt to taste.
- Cut a small hole in the center of each cupcake using a cupcake corer or a knife. Fill each cupcake with apple filling. Decorate cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream as desired.
Notes
- Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate.
- Store Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
- Apples: Granny Smith is my go-to but you can whatever apples you prefer. Try mixing up different kinds for more variety in flavor and texture!
Beautiful recipe. My son who doesn’t like icing actually loved this recipe
Thank you Sarita! I’m so happy your son enjoyed the recipe!