Let me introduce you to my new favorite cupcakes. Apple Pie Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream!
What makes these Apple Pie Cupcakes so delicious?
Cinnamon spice cupcakes are filled with apple pie filling and then topped with Salted Caramel Buttercream to make this mouthwatering cupcake. One bite and you’ll be in love!
I took a little road trip to visit my daughter at college and celebrate her birthday. Of course I wasn’t going to show up empty handed so I decided to whip up a batch of about 60 cupcakes! Since it’s Apple Picking Season I knew these Apple Pie Cupcakes were going to be perfect.
I figured she could celebrate her birthday and make some new friends by sharing these decadent little treats along with some Cookie Dough Cupcakes and Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Filling.
It was a perfect little Birthday surprise and the girls on her floor thoroughly enjoyed helping her devour them!
Apple Pie Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 3 Cups All-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking powder
- 3 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 Sticks Unsalted butter ,softened
- 2 Cup Sugar
- 4 Large Eggs ,room temperature
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- 1/2 Cup Sour cream
- 2/3 Cup Milk
For the apple pie filling
- 4 Medium Apples ,peeled, cored and diced
- 4 Tablespoons Unsalted butter
- 1/2 Cup Brown sugar
- Lemon juice from half of a lemon
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
For the salted Caramel
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 6 Tablespoons Salted butter ,cut in slices
- 1/2 Cup Heavy cream at room temperature
For the salted caramel buttercream
- 1/2 Cup Sugar
- 4 Tablespoons Water
- 1/2 Cup Heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- 2 Sticks Salted butter , at room temperature
- 2 Sticks Unsalted butter , at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Sea salt
- 3 Cups Confectioner sugar
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Line cupcake pan with paper cups. Should make about 24.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt.
- In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs one at a time until well mixed. Pour in vanilla, sour cream and milk until combined. Slowly stir in dry ingredients until no lumps remain. Batter will be thick.
- Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling each ⅔ full.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 18-20minutes or when a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool in muffin tin several minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before filling and frosting.
For the apple pie filling
- In a medium saucepan, place chopped apples, butter, brown sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat for about 5 to 8 minutes, until apples are tender. Stir occasionally. Add cornstarch and cook for another minute or until thickened. Allow mixture to cool.
For the Salted Caramel
- In a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat dissolve sugar whisking occasionally. Cook until sugar turns a deep amber. ( can easily burn so watch closely!) Stir in butter until melted. Carefully add a small amount of heavy cream stirring constantly. It will bubble up. Continue to add cream until all incorporated. Whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and cool.
For the Salted Caramel Buttercream
- In a medium sauce pan stir sugar and water together over medium high heat. bring to a boil and cook without stirring until it turns a deep amber. Remove from heat and add heavy cream and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Set aside and let cool for about 20 minutes. In bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment beat butter on medium high until light in fluffy (about 3 min.) Reduce speed to low and gradually add confectioner sugar and sea salt. Scrape sides of bowl and mix until incorporated. Continue mixing on low speed and pour cooled caramel in to combine. Increase speed and beat for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Fill and frost cupcakes
- Using the large open end of a pastry tip cut out a small circle in center of each cupcake. Fill each hole with apple pie filling. Pour about a tablespoonful of salted caramel over the top of the cupcake and then pipe on salted caramel buttercream. Drizzle more salted caramel over the buttercream.
Nutrition
My son taste tested a couple of these Apple Pie Cupcakes before I put together my trays to bring to my daughter. Once he finished his first one he informed me that he had a new favorite cupcake. If there’s one treat that you take the time to make this Fall this should be it!
Loving these Apple Pie Cupcakes?
Here are some other delicious cupcakes for you to try. Just click on the picture for the recipe.
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Oh my! Words escape me with this beautimous creation of yours! I only wish I were your taste testor. The recipe looks divine and your pictures are fabulous. Stopping by from Let’s Get Real Party. Carrie, A Mother’s Shadow
My mouth is literally watering!! This recipe looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it! Thanks for taking the time to share it!
Thanks Janelle! Hope you get a chance to make them! They really are amazing and I can’t wait to make them again!
These look absolutely scrumptious, Nicole!!! I wish I had one right now! Pinning!
made these last night and although the filling tastes amazing and the cake part is good too, the buttercream tastes too much like actual butter, like I’m biting into a stick of it. Idk what happened, since I followed the recipe exactly =/
Kayla I’m so sorry you didn’t like the frosting! I have this frosting recipe on three of the cupcakes that I make and everyone always loves it because of its smooth creamy texture. It does have a bit less confectioner sugar than usual because of the addition of the caramel syrup that’s added. Buttercream frosting is basically butter and sugar so the only thing I can think is that you may prefer it with more confectioner sugar added next time. Thanks for taking the time to give my your feedback.