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Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes

These Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes are STUFFED with Apple Flavor.

Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream frosting swirled on top are displayed on a wooden table with apple slice in the background- The Goldilocks Kitchen

Celebrate apple harvest by making a batch of Apple Cinnamon cupcakes, which are packed with applesauce, apple cider and fresh diced apples! All topped off with the most delectable Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting recipe on the internet.

How to make cake batter from scratch

When making cake batter from scratch, it’s typical to first mix together flour, baking soda (and sometimes baking powder), salt and any additional dry flavorings, like spices or cocoa powder, in a bowl separate from the rest of the “wet” ingredients. There’s a good reason for this; baking soda will react with liquid ingredients immediately and start producing carbon dioxide, the gas that causes these baked goods to rise. Best to delay this reaction as long as possible, so most of it can take place in the oven. Also it’s important to check the expiration date of your baking soda or powder- if it’s out of date don’t use it; chances are, it won’t work. 

A white mixing bowl contains white flour, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and baking soda for making Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes - The Goldilocks Kitchen

Mixing dry an wet ingredients separately also helps to cut down on excess gluten that can form from over-mixing cake or bread batters. Mix wet and dry ingredients until JUST combined. Too much gluten from over mixing will cause your cupcakes (or cakes) to turn into hockey pucks and bricks instead of light fluffy cake, counteracting the chemical leavening you have so carefully measured into your recipe. You do NOT want to spend your precious time making hockey pucks right?!

A red mixing bowl contains two lightly beaten eggs, sugar, apple sauce, freshly minced apple pieces, vanilla and melted butter for making Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes - The Goldilocks Kitchen

Eggs also help to give cakes lift, as well as richness and structure. In the picture above, eggs are mixed with applesauce, fresh minced apple, apple cider, melted butter, vanilla and sugar (which is always mixed with the wet ingredients since it dissolves in liquids).

Apple cider, applesauce, and freshly diced apple are all included in the cake batter.

I really wanted the apple flavor to stand out in these cupcakes, so I packed in the apple flavors with not one, not two, but THREE different apple products to really make my Apple Cinnamon Cupcake recipe stand out above the rest!

A red mixing bowl containing Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes batter with a scoop- The Goldilocks Kitchen

I love using mechanical scoops to easily and evenly portion out batter for cupcakes. It really makes a cinch out of filling cupcake liners.

Mini muffin tin with white cupcake liners is filled with Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes dough. - The Goldilocks Kitchen

Mini Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes freshly baked and still in the mini muffin tin. - The Goldilocks Kitchen

You can actually see these Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes bursting with apple flavor with all the diced apples poking out the top!

Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes sit on a marble counter, some frosted some plain. - The Goldilocks Kitchen

The perfect accompaniment to these Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes is a fresh batch of whipped Cinnamon Buttercream Icing. This fluffy icing is tinged with the perfect amount of cinnamon and sweetness.

Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes from above on a wooden table; including regular sized and mini cupcakes, all with swirls of cinnamon buttercream frosting.- The Goldilocks Kitchen

Oh these cupcakes are really a special treat- just perfect for celebrating the arrival of the fall/holiday season. I absolutely LOVE these cupcakes, especially the little bits of freshly baked apple in them.

A closeup picture of a frosted cupcake with a bite out of the side showing the texture and apple pieces in the cake. Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes

This recipe for Apple Cinnamon cupcakes makes a delightful treat that friends and family will love. So bake up a batch of these cupcakes, along with some Cinnamon Buttercream Icing, and celebrate all the wonderful things of apple harvest time. Enjoy!

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Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes


  • Author: Emily
  • Total Time: 1 hours 5 minutes
  • Yield: 30 cupcakes 1x

Description

Moist and full of flavor, these Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes are an apple lover’s delight. Apple cider, minced fresh apple, and apple sauce are included in the cake batter to pack in the apple flavor. Top with Cinnamon Buttercream for the ultimate fall harvest baking treat!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/8 teaspoon cloves
  • 1 and 1/4 cups applesauce
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1/4 cup apple cider
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup fresh apple, peeled and diced to 1/4 inch pieces

 


Instructions

Cupcakes

  1. Adjust an oven rack to middle position and set the oven to 325 degrees F. Fill cupcake tin with liners and set aside. 
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves together. In a large mixing bowl, whisk applesauce, sugar, melted butter, cider, eggs and vanilla together. Stir the flour mixture into the applesauce mixture until just combined and no white streaks remain. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full with batter and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

Notes

For mini cupcakes: follow the same directions except bake for 15 minutes instead of 25.

  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cupcake
  • Calories: 132
  • Sugar: 8.8 g
  • Sodium: 189 mg
  • Fat: 6.6 g
  • Saturated Fat: 4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 17.2 g
  • Protein: 1.6 g
  • Cholesterol: 29 mg

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