Name: Decadent Apple Spice Cupcakes Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 22 min
Yield: 16
Ingredients: For Cupcakes:; ½ cup unsalted butter; ⅔ cup packed light sugar; ⅓ cup granulated sugar; 2 large egg; ⅓ cup milk; 2 tsp pure vanilla extract; 1½ cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp Baking Soda; ¼ tsp baking powder; ½ tsp salt; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp ground nutmeg; 1 large apple; For Salted Caramel Frosting:; ½ cup unsalted butter; 1 cup packed light sugar; ⅓ cup heavy cream; ¼ tsp salt; 3 cups confectioners’ sugar; salted caramel sauce and apple slices

How To Make Decadent Apple Spice Cupcakes

Just looking at the caramel frosting, you can already tell how moist, insanely sweet and flavorful these apple spice cupcakes are.

Preparation: 30 minutes

Cooking: 22 minutes

Total: 52 minutes

Serves:

Ingredients

For Cupcakes:

½cupunsalted butter,(1 stick or 115g) melted and slightly cooled
⅔cuppacked light sugar,(135g) or dark brown, I prefer dark
⅓cupgranulated sugar,(65g)
2largeegg,at room temperature
⅓cupmilk,(80ml)
2tsppure vanilla extract
1½cupsall-purpose flour,(190g) spoon & leveled
1tspBaking Soda
¼tspbaking powder
½tspsalt
1tspground cinnamon
¼tspground nutmeg
1largeapple,(about 2 cups) peeled and finely chopped

For Salted Caramel Frosting:

½cupunsalted butter,(1 stick or 115g)
1cuppacked light sugar,or dark brown, I prefer dark
⅓cupheavy cream,(5 tbsp, 80ml) divided
¼tspsalt
3cupsconfectioners’ sugar,(240-360g) sifted
salted caramel sauce and apple slices,optional garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Line a second pan with 2 liners – this recipe makes about 14 cupcakes. Set aside.
Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together in a medium bowl until combined.
Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until smooth then whisk in the vanilla extract and milk. Set aside.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl.
Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir gently until combined.
The batter will have a few lumps. Fold in the apples.
Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full with batter. Bake for 21 to 23 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
A toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean when done.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
While the cupcakes are cooling, melt the butter in a small saucepan.
Once melted, add brown sugar and 2 Tablespoons of heavy cream.
Whisk constantly over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add salt. Allow to bubble for about 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 30 minutes.
With a hand or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat in 2 cups confectioners’ sugar and the remaining heavy cream.
Slowly add 1/2 – 1 cup more confectioners’ sugar until you reach the desired consistency.
Add a little cream or milk if you find the frosting too thick. Frost cooled cupcakes and drizzle with salted caramel sauce, if desired.