Description
Soft and fluffy spiced Apple Pie Cupcakes filled with homemade apple compote and topped with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. These cozy fall cupcakes deliver classic apple pie flavor in a tender, easy-to-serve dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 small tart apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced
- 30 g brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 50 g water
- 185 g cake flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 115 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 150 g milk, dairy or non-dairy
- 60 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 125 g cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 75 g powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Cook the apple filling: In a small pot, stir together diced apples, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and water.
- Cover and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Uncover and cook, stirring often, until the apples are tender and the excess liquid has evaporated. Add a small splash of water if the mixture looks dry before the apples soften.
- Transfer the apple compote to a small bowl and cool completely.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with parchment cupcake liners.
- In a small bowl, stir together cake flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter with an electric hand mixer until very creamy.
- Add granulated sugar and beat until fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Beat in vanilla extract.
- Sift in half of the dry mixture and mix on low speed just until barely combined.
- Add half of the milk and mix just until combined.
- Repeat with the remaining dry mixture and remaining milk, mixing only until smooth.
- Fill cupcake liners about two-thirds full.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool cupcakes in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the frosting: Beat softened butter until very creamy.
- Add cream cheese, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
- Beat on low speed until the frosting becomes smooth and thick.
- Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a small ribbon tip or star tip.
- Use a melon baller or knife to scoop out the center of each cooled cupcake, about halfway deep.
- Fill each cupcake center with apple compote.
- Add another small spoonful of apple compote on top of each cupcake, flattening it slightly while leaving the edge bare.
- Pipe two crisscrossing lines of frosting over the apple topping with a ribbon tip.
- Pipe a border around each cupcake with a small open star tip.
- Serve once decorated, or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Fill cupcake liners only two-thirds full for cupcakes that rise to the edge without doming too much.
- Cool the apple compote completely before filling the cupcakes so the crumb stays tender and the frosting holds its shape.
- If using smaller cupcake liners, you may get more than 12 cupcakes.
- Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Let chilled cupcakes sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving for the best texture.
- Use tart apples such as Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Braeburn, or Honeycrisp for balanced flavor.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 354
- Sugar: 33
- Sodium: 207
- Fat: 17
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 47
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 84