Bring the fair to your kitchen with these caramel apple cupcakes. Take a bite out of a soft, fluffy apple cupcake donned with thick caramel frosting and decorated with your favorite candies, just like the caramel apples you know and love!
*Please note* this post was originally published in 2018. I’ve since redone the post but the recipe remains the same.
Hooray, it’s cupcake Monday! Trust me, it’s a thing. If you don’t believe me, check out my friend Kelsie’s blog, or Zainab’s. My contribution for this particular cupcake Monday is a recipe that totally screams summer to me. Maybe it’s my missing the Calgary Stampede this year that has me jonesing for all of the fair food!
What do you guys usually flock to at a fair? There are all sorts of weird things to pick from at Stampede, like Canadian bacon pickle balls…..really!? I am a sucker for mini donuts and soft serve ice cream, and although I wouldn’t say no to a deep fried Oreo staring me in the face, I thought I’d go with a more classic fair trade for these cupcakes – the caramel apple! Also kind of a Halloween thing, I think. Like popcorn balls. Maybe I’m just really into Halloween food. Either way, these cupcakes are good any time of year!
What is a caramel apple cupcake?
These caramel apple cupcakes are made up of a lightly spiced, fluffy apple cupcake topped with a decadent caramel buttercream. I stole borrowed the frosting recipe from Two Sisters Crafting. I love all of their frosting recipes, and reference their page often!
You could use any apple for the cupcake, but Granny Smith apples are the classic go-to caramel apple (apple), so I thought they’d be fitting for these! I also just love that little bit of tartness that they contribute to a dessert.
What do you decorate these apple cupcakes with?
The best part about this recipe is the decorating. You can literally use anything to top the frosting with! Throw down your favorite candies or toppings, just like you would if you were making regular caramel apples. My faves are shredded coconut and toffee pieces – because – you can never have enough caramel.
Your kids would LOVE helping you decorate these for a party or just for yourselves. You don’t really need a reason for cupcakes do you!?
Happy Cupcake Monday!!
Oh, and be sure to check out all of the links at the bottom of this post to more delectable cupcake recipes, as well as a link for a GIVEAWAY!!
Some other amazing cupcakes from the blog:
Also don’t forget to check out this roundup of fair foods you can make at home!
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Caramel Apple Cupcakes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
Description
Bring the fair to your kitchen with these caramel apple cupcakes. Take a bite out of a soft, fluffy apple cupcake donned with thick caramel frosting and decorated with your favorite candies, just like the caramel apples you know and love!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 large apple, finely chopped*
- Shredded coconut, mini chocolate chips, toffee bits, chocolate drizzle, chopped nuts, etc for decorating (optional)
Caramel Frosting
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/4 cup milk + 2 tbsp*
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with an electric mixer, beat the butter on high for about 1 minute. Add both the sugars and continue to beat on high until soft and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and beat for another minute or so. Add half of the dry ingredients, and mix slowly to just combine. Add the buttermilk, and slowly mix. Add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until just combined. The batter will be fairly thick. Add in the diced apple, and mix slowly on low until incorporated, or use a large wooden spoon to stir it in.
- Divide the batter evenly between the 12 cupcake liners, and bake for approximately 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the frosting. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add together the brown sugar, butter and milk. Stir to combine until butter is completely melted and brown sugar is dissolved. Leave the mixture to bubble over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, until it turns a deep amber colour. Remove the mixture from heat, and transfer to a mixing bowl to cool.
- Once the mixture is cool, use the paddle attachment on your mixer or an electric mixer and add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Beat on high. I needed to add a bit of extra milk as well, to achieve the right consistency (see notes). Continue to mix on high until your frosting is stiff enough to ice with.
- Frost the cupcakes and decorate with coconut, mini chocolate chips, toffee bits, and chocolate drizzle. Add a lollipop stick in the center for that real caramel apple effect!
Notes
- I like to use Granny Smith, but any apple will do. 1 large apple is about 1 1/2 cups chopped.
- The original recipe calls for 1/4 cup milk, but I found the icing too stiff once I added in the powdered sugar. I added approximately 2 tbsp extra milk when mixing the caramel with the powdered sugar; feel free to add as much milk as required, 1 tbsp at a time until you achieve the right consistency
Caramel frosting recipe adapted from Two Sisters Crafting
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: cupcakes
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: american
Keywords: caramel apple cupcakes // apple cupcakes // easy apple cupcakes // caramel filled apple cupcakes // caramel buttercream
To continue the #CupcakeMondays party, be sure to check out the other cupcake recipes from my friends. You are in for a treat!!
Zucchini Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting from The Itsy-Bitsy Kitchen
Salted Caramel Cupcakes from A Table Full of Joy
Better Than Box Mix Cupcakes from Kelly Lynn’s Sweets and Treats
Peach Moscato Cupcakes from Blue Bowl Recipes
Candy Apple Cupcakes from Love in My Oven
White and Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes from Pies and Tacos
Tropical Passion Fruit Cupcakes from A Classic Twist
And of course, no party is complete without gifts! THANK YOU to our wonderful sponsors Rodelle, Redmond Real Salt and B.Toffee for the wonderful giveaway prize. One lucky winner will win:
- 16-ounce organic baker’s extract from Rodelle
- 25-ounce gourmet cocoa from Rodelle
- 8-ounce pure vanilla extract from Rodelle
- 2 count vanilla beans from Rodelle
- A gift box of toffee from B.toffee
- An assortment of ancient fine sea salt from Redmond Real Salt
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You are so right. Caramel apples are classics to summer festivals. Love them in cupcake form even more. Thanks for joining in the party 🙂
I’m glad you agree! Thank you Zainab! It was so fun to be a part of it – can’t wait for the next one!!
OK, YUM! These look soooo good! Caramel apples totally remind me of summer too. In cupcake form I bet they’re even better!
Thanks Kelsie!! They are so good – I definitely think everything is better in cupcake form 😉
Yum! Love caramel apple cupcakes and all the cupcakes you all come up with!! 🙂
Thank you Kim!! That’s so “sweet” of you (haha)!!
These are so fun Katherine! You’ve definitely outdone yourself in the cupcake department. The flavor sounds incredible. And they totally remind me of the fair or Halloween parties!
Why thank you Leanne!! I had so much fun making these, and they tasted so delicious!!
These cupcakes look so pretty Katherine. Caramel apple is such an amazing combination of deliciousness. I am absolutely loving this recipe 🙂
Thank you Ashika!! Caramel and apple are definitely meant to be 🙂 I’m so glad you like it!!
these cupcakes are genius!! Super cool!! Love the idea!
So nice of you to say, Camila!! Thank you!!
How freakin’ fun are these? And I can’t believe I just read the word ‘Halloween’ Before we know it, it’ll be here. I’d much rather one of these beauties than some candy or an actual caramel apple. They look divine, Katherine! XO
Gaaah I know, I shouldn’t have mentioned it! Let’s enjoy summer while it’s here, ok? Thanks Dawn! XO
I totally love the bits of apple in these! What a fun cupcake…which combines two of my favorite things: Candy and Cupcakes!! So much fun participating in #CupcakeMondays with you 🙂 XOXOXO
Thank you Kelly! Woot woot! I had so much fun too – can’t wait for the next one!! XO
Apple desserts are 100% fall treat for me. On another hand, you’re right – caramel apples are associated with summer festivals too. After all, caramel is appropriate all year round, isn’t it? Delicious cupcakes!
Caramel is definitely appropriate year round! I know you like your dulce de leche 😉 Thank you Ben!! I guess I’m just getting ahead of myself with the apple desserts!
Caramel Apples are a favorite of mine and these cupcakes look amazing! Hopefully I can make them soon!
Thank you Lisa! I hope you can too – I pretty much love anything with caramel!!
ooooo yum! caramel apples are kind of a pain to eat (i’m that person who has to cut them up sigh), so these sound just as tasty but so much easier to enjoy (:
Haha, Heather! They are a bit of a pain though, I agree! So tough and sticky! I guarantee you’d have no trouble with these cupcakes 😉
Cupecake Monday rocks! And I love how you decorated these! So appealing
I totally agree, Patrick! I’m glad it’s become a thing. Thank you my friend!
This is such a clever play on caramel apples, Katherine! These cupcakes are just too cute!! In fact, I would pick them over caramel apples any day!
Thank you, Thao! I would pick a cupcake over a caramel apple any day too!!
How cute are these Katherine?! And they sound totally fantastic too! Love apple desserts!
Thank you Mary Ann!! They were super fun to make. I love apple desserts too – I’m looking forward to the Fall when they all start making an appearance!
Oh my gosh these are SO adorable! Caramel apples are one of my favorite treats and eating it in cupcake form would be a dream come true. I love Cupcake Monday! 🙂
Aah thanks Marcie! I love anything with caramel, but caramel cupcakes are exceptionally delicious! I love Cupcake Monday too!
Katherine, these look and sound so goood! Anything with caramel frosting has my name all over it! I love a caramel apple and I imagine these are even better because the caramel s doesn’t get stuck in your teeth! Thanks for the recipe I can’t wait to make them!
I am with you, Laura!! Caramel frosting is the best. Thanks so much! I hope you love them!! 🙂
Caramel Apples are one of my favorite treats on the planet so these beautiful cupcakes are SO calling my name, Katherine!
Thanks Marissa! I’m so happy to hear that. I LOVE anything with caramel!!
All I can say is, ‘Yes, please!!!!’
Enough said!! 😉
This caramel apple cupcake is look like very nice.I love this cupcake.thanks to shear this recipe
Thank you very much!!
These cupcakes look so delicious and the best part is that kids will totally love all the decorating!!! Apples are available all year long, so this is just a keeper whenever craving strikes:) Love the cupcake Mondays, keep it coming.
Exactly!! The decorating is the most fun part. Thank you Maria, I’ve always got cupcakes on the brain!!
OMG they look adorable! So glad I’ve discovered your blog, your recipes look stunning 🙂
Thank you so much! That’s so sweet 🙂
That’s great plan to make caramel apple cup cakes. Really Your decorate is very well. Exact cutting by kitchen knife. I will try at my home very soon.
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These caramel apple cupcakes are an irresistible treat for the fall season. Thanks for the recipe <3
★★★★★
Oh wow they look so epic Katherine! I would probably have so many of these because sometimes I have zero self control when it comes to cupcakes! Soooo yummy!
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Haha I know, I have zero self-control too Christie!! Thanks friend!
I so love how you decorated these beautiful cupcakes. You are so amazing! 💕
You are the sweetest!! Thanks Heidi!!