Apple Cupcakes
These moist and soft Apple Cupcakes are so delicious and perfect for fall, with apples, brown sugar, and spice in every bite.
Servings: 26 cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ sticks (170g) unsalted butter, softened (Should still hold its shape but dent when pressed.)
- 1 cup (200g) white granulated sugar
- 1 cup (215g) Light Brown Sugar (If not using a digital scale, make sure to pack the brown sugar into your measuring cup for most accurate measurement.)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature (If you are in a hurry, place the eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.)
- 3 cups (342g) cake flour (342g) If not using a digital scale, lightly spoon into measuring cups and level with knife for most accurate measurement.)
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder (12g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (3g)
- 1½ teaspoons Apple Pie Spice (5g)
- 1 cup (242g) sour cream (242g)(We use "full fat" rather than reduced.)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. (8g)
- ½ cup milk (121g)(We use whole or 2 percent milk.)
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil (68g) (We use canola oil.)
- 1½ cups apples, (grated or finely chopped) (130g)We used Granny Smith
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (226g) (Should easily dent when pressed)
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened (We used two 8 oz packages of full fat cream cheese.)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (8g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (2g)
- 6 to 6 ½ cups powdered sugar (690g-747g)
Instructions
For the Apple Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place cupcake liners into cupcake pans.
- In a separate bowl combine the cake flour, baking powder, apple pie spice, and salt. Whisk 30 seconds to blend. Set aside.
- In another bowl combine the sour cream, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, and milk. Stir and set aside.
- Add butter to mixing bowl and mix on low to medium speed until smooth.
- Slowly add the white and brown sugar mixing on MEDIUM speed until the mixture has lightened in color and is fluffy- Approximately 3 minutes.
- Next, add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each each addition until yolk is blended.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the wet ingredients beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stop and scrape down the sides of bowl once or twice as need. After the last addition of dry ingredients, mix just until blended.
- Fold in the apples.
- Add the cupcake batter to the cupcake pans (prepared with liners). Each cupcake will have approximately ¼ cup batter. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and removed with no crumbs or just a few moist crumbs attached. **Baking times may vary - check as the end time approaches and adjust time in small increments as needed.
- Makes approximately 7-7.5 cups of batter. Approximately 25 cupcakes.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add the softened butter to the bowl of your mixer, mix until smooth.Cut the softened cream cheese into pieces and add to the butter, mixing until blended.
- Add the vanilla extract. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until well blended. This cream cheese frosting will pipe best if used while still chilled. You can make it in advance, refrigerate and when ready to use let it soften slightly and remix. Do not microwave to soften.
- If the frosting becomes too soft while using just refrigerate the piping bag or bowl for a short while to firm it up.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes however you like! We used a 1M (large star) piping tip to create swirls.
Storage
- Because of the cream cheese frosting, these cupcakes should be refrigerated (in an airtight container or under a cake dome). However, for the very best flavor and texture, remove the cupcakes from the refrigerator a couple of hours before serving. This will allow time for them to warm & soften (butter in the cake and frosting become firmer when chilled).
Notes
Substitution for Cake Flour: Using all purpose flour (plain in UK) to make Cake Flour: For each cup of flour in a recipe, remove 2 Tablespoons of flour and replace with 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour in the UK).
Storing: These cupcakes can be left at room temperature (in an airtight container or under a cake dome) for a couple of days. After that, we recommend moving to the refrigerator for freshness.
However, if refrigerating, remove from the refrigerator a couple of hours before serving to allow the frosting a cupcakes to warm and soften.
Freezing- These cupcakes cake be baked well in advance and frozen. Once cooled, line them up on a tray or cake cardboard, lay a sheet of plastic wrap over them, then wrap with a sheet or two of foil. Freeze for up to three months. To thaw, move to the kitchen counter, remove the wrapping after about 10-15 minutes and continue to thaw.