Pumpkin Spice Apple Cupcakes

4.95 from 19 votes

These are the most delicious apple cupcakes made with fresh apples and pumpkin spice. Frosted with Swiss meringue buttercream and a caramel drizzle which makes these perfect for fall.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Apple, caramel, Cupcakes, easy, fall, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Spice

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings cupcakes

Calories 121kcal

Author Veena Azmanov

Preheat the oven at 170 C 350 F. Line a muffin pan with cupcakes liners. I used baking cups today.
In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.
Chop the apple finely, add the lemon juice to prevent oxidizing. Add the flour and set aside
In a bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip eggs with sugar until sugar is almost dissolved.
Then, gradually add the oil followed by the sour cream and vanilla.
Next, add the flour and combine well.
Finally, add the apples – fold them in but do not over mix.
Scoop the batter equally into cupcakes liners or baking cups
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
Cool completely before you decorate.

Watch a video of my making this Swiss meringue buttercream
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, combine egg whites, sugar and salt Place the mixer bowl over a pot of simmering water.
Whisk constantly until the egg whites are warm and all the sugar has dissolved.
Attach the bowl to the mixer and start whipping increasing speed from low to medium-high until you have stiff peaks.
Continue whipping on low until the mixture is completely cool.
With the mixer on low speed gradually add room temperature butter
Once all the butter is in whip on high for 2 to 3 minutes. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
Set aside or in the fridge until ready to use

Watch a video on how to make a caramel sauce
Place the sugar, lemon, and water in a deep light-colored saucepan.
Melt the sugar on medium heat shaking the pan as needed.
Tip - Keep the heat on medium to low so the sugar caramelizes, not burns. Shake and swirl the pan slowly guiding the heat distribution.
Once all the sugar is amber, add in the butter and combine well.
Next, add the cream and be careful because the caramel will bubble up. Take it off the heat.
Cool for a few minutes in the pan, then pour it into a mason jar. As the mixture cools it will get thicker.

Make sure the cupcakes are completely cooled before frosting or the frosting will melt.
Place frosting in a piping bag with a large round tip number 12. Pipe a swirl on the cupcake
Use a spoon to drizzle the caramel over the cupcakes.
Tip - as the caramel cools it will get thicker. You can heat it in the microwave for 10 seconds to bring it to consistency.