This apple cinnamon cupcake is my favourite as a kid. I have fond memories of my mum whipping up these goodies for an upcoming weekend. Although, with me around, these apple cupcakes hardly ever made it through Saturday.
This recipe produces cupcakes that are moist, soft, and light. They are not like muffins, which tend to be denser in texture. It is best to use Granny Smith green apples. This cultivar is more acidic and firm so that it holds well throughout the baking process.
As I will be cooking the apples twice, a firm apple would not turn mushy under heat and still retains that bite to it. The tartness of Granny Smith apples also gives a nice balance to the sweet cupcake. Try to avoid using Fuji or Gala apples, as they are on the sweeter end of the apple family. Pacific Rose and Empire apples would be decent substitutes if you can’t get Granny Smith.
Apples are cut up into slices and cooked in butter, ground cinnamon powder and brown sugar. The caramelized apples and fragrance of cinnamon is perfect for the current autumn season, for those in the Northern hemisphere. You would want to cook the apples until it is slightly soft and tender. Do not overcook as it will go into the oven shortly.
Assemble them in two alternating layers of cupcake batter and apples. This is so that you are sure to taste some apple in every bite! For this, you wouldn’t need any frostings, as the taste and fragrance from the apple and cinnamon combination is already very pronounced.
The recipe below makes 24 cupcakes, because a dozen is never enough for a household. Store them in an airtight container and they should last for up to 2 to 3 days in room temperature.
Check out how I made the cupcakes below!
Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes
Ingredients
Sauteed Cinnamon Apples
- 10 green Granny Smith apples or other tart apples
- 50 g butter
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 1½ tsp cinnamon powder
Cupcake Batter
- 250 g butter
- 200 g castor sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 5 eggs
- 3½ tbsp milk
- 280 g self raising flour
Cinnamon Sugar for Dusting (Optional)
- ½ tbsp granulated or brown sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon powder
Instructions
Sauteed Cinnamon Apples
- Peel, core and cut each apple into 10 small slices.
- Melt butter in pan over medium heat and add apples in.
- Let cook, stirring constantly, until apple becomes almost tender. This should take approximately 6-7 minutes.
- Add brown sugar and cinnamon powder, then stir to combine. Cook a further 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a clean bowl. Set aside to let cool as you prepare your cupcake batter.
Cupcake Batter
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a standard cupcake pan with paper liners.
- In a bowl, sift flour, then set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until soft and creamy, for about 2 minutes.
- Add castor sugar and beat for a further 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Stop to scrape the bowl as needed.
- Add in vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time. Upon adding final egg, beat until completely combined, for about 1 minute.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in half of the flour mixture until mostly combined.
- Add in 1 tbsp of milk, then stir to combine.
- Add the remaining flour mixture, mixing until just barely combined. Then add in remaining milk and mix until well combined.
- Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Fill lined cupcake tin with a heaping 1½ tbsp of batter. Place 2 pieces of apple filling atop the batter. Add another 1½-2 tbsp of batter, followed by another layer of 2 pieces of apple. Lightly press apple down so that the batter spreads out.
- This step is optional, but recommended! If dusting cinnamon sugar, mix sugar and cinnamon powder into a separate small bowl and whisk together to combine. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top of each cupcake.
- Bake in pre-heated oven for approximately 20-25 minutes until a skewer/cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cupcakes can be stored in airtight container for up to 2-3 days.
Notes
Have you tried this recipe?
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This is the latest recipe of yours I tried, it is excellent! The cupcakes are so fluffy and light. It is not too sweet and it balance very well with the slightly sourness of the apples. My friends gave thumbs up too!
Thank you for enjoying my fav childhood cupcakes! ❤️