Salted Caramel Apple Spiced Cupcakes
Description
These Salted Caramel Apple Spiced Cupcakes are the quintessential Fall treat, blending everything you love about the season into one perfect bite! The cupcake itself is incredibly moist, tender, and loaded with real apple pieces and warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. But the real showstopper is the rich, creamy, homemade Salted Caramel Icing. The salty-sweet caramel perfectly complements the apple spice, creating a decadent, holiday-worthy treat. They are easy to bake and guaranteed to be the star of your next Fall gathering!
Ingredients
Salted Caramel Frosting
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
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Make the cupcakes:
Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a seperate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients: melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar first. Then add in the eggs, and milk.
Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir gently until combined. It may have a few lumps. Fold in the apples last.
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Fill your cupcake liners about 3/4 of the way full with the batter. Bake for 21-23 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle will come out clean when done. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
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Make the frosting:
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and brown sugar. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon as the butter melts. Once melted, switch to a whisk and beat for about 30 seconds until the mixture is fully emulsified and no oily separation remains around the edges. Whisk in the 3 Tablespoons of heavy cream and the salt. Attach a candy thermometer so the bulb is submerged but not touching the bottom of the pan. Let the caramel boil, whisking briefly every 30 seconds, until the temperature reaches ().
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Remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool for a minute. Transfer to a seperate bowl and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before continuing.
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To Finish the Frosting:
Sift and Combine: Sift the confectioners' sugar into the saucepan and add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of heavy cream.
Mix the Icing: Use a handheld or stand mixer (fitted with a whisk attachment) to beat the mixture on medium-low speed until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
Whip: Increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 1 minute. Avoid over-mixing, as the frosting can quickly break.
Thicken: Allow the icing to sit for at least 20–30 minutes before transferring it to your piping bag. This resting time allows the icing to thicken to the perfect pipeable consistency.
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Frost the cooled cupcakes. Cover and store at room temperature for up to a day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
