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cupcake with frosting and apple pie filling on top sitting on black wire cooling rack

Apple Pie Cupcakes

These apple pie cupcakes are a perfectly spiced vanilla cupcake filled with a delicious caramelized apple pie filling and then topped with silky cinnamon buttercream and a dollop of apple pie filling. The perfect handheld fall treat and a lot easier than a full apple pie!
5 from 3 votes
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Total Time: 41 minutes
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Calories: 479kcal
Author: Tara Kringlen

Ingredients

Apple Pie Filling

  • 2 medium apples peeled and chopped into ¼ inch pieces, about 2 cups
  • 4 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Spice Cupcakes

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
  • 6 tablespoon unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup milk whole or 2%

Cinnamon Buttercream

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2-3 tablespoon milk whole or 2%

Instructions

Apple Filling

  • In a small saucepan on medium heat, combine chopped apples, brown sugar, butter, lemon juice and salt.
  • Stir until the butter and brown sugar have melted and the mixture starts to boil, about 3 minutes.
  • Mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 teaspoon water and pour into apple mixture. Continue to boil while stirring for another 2 minutes or until filling slightly thickens.
  • Remove from the heat and allow the filling to cool completely.

Cupcakes

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
  • In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice and salt. Set aside.
  • In a stand mixer or in a large bowl and a hand mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar for about 4 minutes until light and fluffy on medium/medium-high speed.
  • Add the egg, mixing well and scraping the sides of the bowl.
  • In a small bowl or pourable measuring cup, whisk together milk and vanilla. Set aside.
  • Starting with the dry ingredients, add about ⅓ to the butter mixture and beat until combined.
  • Add half of the milk and mix well. Continue alternating dry and wet ingredients, ending with the dry ingredients.
  • Pour batter into each cupcake liner filling about ⅔ full. Bake for about 16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcake comes out clean.
  • Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cinnamon Buttercream

  • Using a stand mixer or mixing bowl and hand mixer, beat room temperature butter until creamy.
  • Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing well.
  • Add cinnamon, vanilla and 2 tablespoon of milk.
  • Mix at medium speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add an additional tablespoon of milk if frosting is too thick.

Assembly

  • Using a knife or cupcake corer, cut a hole in the center of each cupcake making sure not to go down all the way to the bottom of the cake.
  • Spoon the apple filling into each cupcake, level with the top.
  • Frost the cupcakes with frosting using either a knife or a piping bag and piping it on each cupcake.
  • If desired, make a well in the top of the frosting and add more apple filling on top of each cupcake.

Notes

Store cupcakes tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving to allow the buttercream to come to room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 479kcal