There’s just something magical about pulling a fresh batch of homemade goodies out of the oven, isn’t there? Today, I’m so excited to share my absolute favorite! We’re talking about the most wonderfully moist Apple Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting. Seriously, the smell alone is pure comfort. I remember baking these for the first time on a crisp autumn afternoon, and my family basically inhaled them. That perfect balance of warm apple spice and sweet, tangy frosting? It’s pure bliss in every single bite, and honestly, they’re surprisingly easy to whip up!

Why You’ll Love These Apple Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

These aren’t just any cupcakes, they’re pure cozy happiness! Here’s why you’ll be obsessed:

Incredibly Moist Texture: Seriously, the applesauce and fresh apples make these cupcakes unbelievably tender and moist. They practically melt in your mouth!
Cozy Apple Spice: You get that warm, comforting flavor of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves with every bite. It’s like a hug from the inside out.
Perfectly Tangy Frosting: The cream cheese frosting is the absolute cherry on top (or should I say, swirl on top?). It’s got just the right amount of tang to balance the sweetness.
Foolproof & Fun to Make: Even if baking isn’t your strongest suit, these are surprisingly simple. You’ll feel like a baking pro in no time!
Crowd-Pleaser Guaranteed: Bring these to any gathering, and you’ll have people begging for the recipe. They’re a guaranteed hit!
The Aroma Alone: Just wait until your kitchen fills with that incredible smell of baking apples and spices. It’s pure magic.

Ingredients for Perfect Apple Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

Alright, here’s what you’ll need to make these little pockets of joy. Don’t worry, it’s all pretty standard stuff you probably have in your pantry! Trust me, using good quality ingredients makes a world of difference.

For the Apple Cupcakes:

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (my favorite!)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup (that’s one whole stick!) unsalted butter, softened up nicely
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature is best
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (adds so much moisture!)
1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, let it sit for 5 mins)
1 cup finely chopped peeled apples – about one medium apple will do the trick!

For the Dreamy Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, gotta be softened!
1/2 cup (another stick!) unsalted butter, also softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted if you’re feeling fancy!

Equipment Needed for Apple Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

Okay, to make these beauties happen, you’ll need a few trusty kitchen companions. Having these ready makes the whole process so much smoother, trust me!

A 12-cup muffin tin – the classic!
Paper muffin liners, of course!
A medium bowl for your dry stuff
A big bowl for all the wet ingredients
Another small bowl for your applesauce and buttermilk combo
A good ol’ mixing spoon or a stand/hand mixer if you have one
A spatula for folding in those apples
A wire cooling rack – essential for letting those cupcakes chill out properly
And for the frosting, you’ll want a mixer (hand or stand) and a bowl to get it super smooth!

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Apple Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

Okay, let’s get baking! Making these Apple Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting is honestly a breeze, and seeing them come together is half the fun. Just follow these simple steps and prepare for deliciousness!

Preparing the Cupcake Batter

First things first, get that oven preheating to 350°F (175°C) and line your muffin tin – we want everything ready to go! In one bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, salt, and all those yummy spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Now, grab your big bowl for the wet stuff. Cream that softened butter and sugar together until it’s nice and fluffy. Beat in your eggs one by one, making sure they’re fully incorporated, and then stir in the vanilla. In another little bowl, give your applesauce and buttermilk a quick whisk. Alright, now the magic happens: gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, alternating with the applesauce mixture. Start and end with the dry ingredients – this little trick keeps everything from getting gummy. Mix until *just* combined, no more! Then, gently fold in your chopped apples like you’re tucking them into bed. Overmixing is the enemy here, so be gentle!

Baking the Perfect Apple Cupcakes

Pop those liners into your muffin tin and carefully fill each one about two-thirds full with that glorious batter. Don’t overfill, or you’ll have little cupcakes trying to escape! Bake them for about 18 to 22 minutes. The best way to know if they’re ready is the skewer test: stick a wooden skewer right into the center of a cupcake. If it comes out clean, bingo! Let them hang out in the tin for a few minutes to cool down a bit before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Patience here is key – warm cupcakes and frosting just don’t mix!

Crafting the Cream Cheese Frosting

While those cupcakes are cooling off, let’s whip up that dreamy frosting! Make sure your cream cheese and butter are nice and soft – this is *super* important for a no-lump frosting. Throw them into a bowl and beat them together until they’re smooth and creamy. Stir in that vanilla extract. Now, gradually add your powdered sugar, beating after each addition until the frosting is perfectly smooth and wonderfully fluffy. You want it nice and spreadable, but not runny. If it seems a little too thick, a tiny splash of milk can help; too thin? A bit more powdered sugar should do the trick.

Frosting and Finishing Your Apple Cupcakes

Once your apple cupcakes are totally, completely cool (seriously, resist the urge!), it’s time for the frosting! Grab a spatula or a piping bag – whatever makes you happy – and generously frost each cupcake. I love roughing it up a bit with the spatula for a rustic look, but you can also make pretty swirls. And there you have it – gorgeous, mouthwatering Apple Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting ready to be devoured!

Tips for Success with Your Apple Cupcakes

Alright, so you’ve got the recipe, but let me give you a few little secrets from my kitchen that’ll make your apple cupcakes absolutely sing. First off, room temperature ingredients are your best friend for both the cupcakes and the frosting. It’s like magic – butter and eggs at room temp just blend so much better, giving you that perfect texture without any fuss. Also, a gentle hand when mixing is key! Don’t go crazy beating that batter after you add the flour; you just want it combined, otherwise, you risk tough cupcakes, and nobody wants that. And speaking of ovens, they all have their own little quirks, so keep an eye on those cupcakes towards the end of baking!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Apple Cupcakes

Let’s talk ingredients! That buttermilk in the recipe? If you don’t have any on hand, no worries! Just whisk together 1/2 cup of regular milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and let it sit for about 5 minutes. It works like a charm! As for the apples, Granny Smith are fantastic because they’re a bit tart and hold their shape well. But honestly, any firm apple like Honeycrisp or Fuji will be yummy. Just make sure they’re peeled and chopped nice and small so they bake up perfectly in your apple cupcakes.

Frequently Asked Questions About Apple Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

Got questions about these delightful little treats? I totally get it! Here are a few things people often ask about my Apple Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting:

Can I make these vegan?

While this recipe isn’t vegan as written, you can definitely adapt it! You’d need to swap out the butter for a vegan butter substitute, use a plant-based milk for the buttermilk (like almond or soy), and a flax egg (1 tbsp flax meal + 3 tbsp water, let sit for 5 mins) instead of regular eggs. For the frosting, use vegan cream cheese and vegan butter. It might change the texture a tiny bit, but it’ll still be delicious!

How long do these apple cupcakes last?

Because of that lovely cream cheese frosting, these are best stored in the refrigerator. They’ll stay yummy for about 3-4 days. Just pop them in an airtight container. If you want to serve them at room temperature, just let them sit out for about 20-30 minutes before digging in – the frosting will be softer and easier to eat!

Can I use different spices in my apple cupcakes?

Absolutely! The spices I listed – cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves – are traditional and give you that classic warm apple pie flavor. But feel free to play around! A pinch of ground ginger or allspice would be wonderful too. Or, if you love cinnamon a *lot*, you could bump that up a little. Just don’t go overboard with too many new spices at once; stick to one or two additions to start!

My cream cheese frosting is a bit lumpy, what did I do wrong?

Oh dear, lumpy frosting is no fun! The most common culprit is using cream cheese or butter that’s too cold or too warm. Make sure they are both truly softened (they should feel squishy to the touch but not melted and greasy). Also, beat them together first until they are super smooth *before* you add the powdered sugar. If it’s still a little lumpy, try beating it a bit longer, or you can pass it through a fine-mesh sieve to get it perfectly smooth. Sometimes it just needs a little extra love!

Have another question? Feel free to reach out via my contact page or check out my about page for more baking fun!

Nutritional Information

Just a heads-up, the nutrition facts for these gorgeous Apple Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting are estimates, of course! They can totally change depending on the exact ingredients you use and how big you make your servings. But generally, one cupcake comes in around:

350 Calories
18g Fat (11g Sat. Fat)
48g Carbohydrates
2g Fiber
4g Protein
45g Sugar

Apple Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

Author: freddyrecipes.com
Total Time: 40 min
Yield: 12 servings 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Description

Moist apple cupcakes topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

Scale

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup finely chopped peeled apples (about 1 medium apple)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
In a small bowl, whisk together the applesauce and buttermilk.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the applesauce mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
Gently fold in the chopped apples.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Let the cupcakes cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Stir in the vanilla extract.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
Once the cupcakes are completely cool, frost them generously with the cream cheese frosting.

Notes

For extra flavor, you can add 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter.
Ensure your cream cheese and butter are at room temperature for the smoothest frosting.
You can use a stand mixer or a hand mixer for creaming the butter and sugar and for making the frosting.

Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cupcake
Calories: 350
Sugar: 45g
Sodium: 150mg
Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 11g
Unsaturated Fat: 7g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 48g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 4g
Cholesterol: 60mg

Keywords: apple cupcakes, cream cheese frosting, homemade cupcakes, fall baking, dessert recipe