Description
Delight in these moist and flavorful Caramel Apple Cupcakes, featuring tender apples and warm spices baked into a soft cupcake base, topped with luscious melted caramel for an irresistible autumn treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcake Batter
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups peeled and finely chopped apples
Caramel Topping
- 12 soft caramels
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tray with cupcake liners to prepare for baking.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until well combined.
- Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is creamy and light in texture. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture alternately with milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined to maintain a tender texture.
- Fold in apples. Gently fold the peeled and finely chopped apples into the batter ensuring an even distribution without overmixing.
- Fill cupcake liners. Evenly distribute the batter among the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full to allow room for rising.
- Bake the cupcakes. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, indicating they are fully baked.
- Cool the cupcakes. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the muffin pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare caramel topping. While cupcakes cool, melt the soft caramels with heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Finish with caramel. Once the cupcakes are completely cool, spoon the melted caramel over the tops of each cupcake as a delicious finishing touch.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is softened at room temperature for easier creaming with sugar.
- Use peeled apples to avoid a tough texture in the cupcakes.
- Filling cupcakes two-thirds full helps avoid overflow while baking.
- Melt caramels gently over low heat to prevent burning or graininess.
- For an extra touch, sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over the caramel topping for a salted caramel flavor.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
