Apple Butter Cupcakes – a deliciously easy cupcake recipe with apple butter in both the cupcake and frosting for lots of great apple flavor. Created by our contributor, Lindsay Conchar.
Although it’s not quite fall and we’re still enjoying the final bit of summer that remains, I must admit that I’m looking forward to fall. It has been so hot in Georgia lately – between 95 and 100 degrees most days – that I’m ready for some cooler weather. Not to mention apple treats, apple picking, apple cider and all the flavors of fall.
Living so close to the Georgia mountains, it’s really easy for us to head up to the mountains and go apple picking. It’s always a lot of fun, with a variety of fresh apples and plenty of apple cider to go around. It’s also the time of year that I really start digging the use of cinnamon – one of my very favorite spices to bake with and eat – so warm and spicy sweet. And of course apples and cinnamon are just meant to be together.
These cupcakes are made with plenty of apple butter in both the frosting and the cupcake. It’s perfect if you’re ready to start baking with apples now, before apple picking season is in full swing. Apple butter is one of my favorite spreads and it works wonderfully in these cupcakes.
The cupcakes are super moist, light, fluffy and bursting with apple flavor. The frosting is smooth and creamy with a mix of cream cheese and apple butter plus a kick of cinnamon for added warmth. I finished them off with some dried apple chips, which work perfectly on top. They were a big hit! So cute, fun and tasty! I had to share them as soon as possible so that I didn’t eat them all.
Apple Butter Cupcakes
A deliciously easy cupcake recipe with apple butter in both the cupcake and frosting for lots of great apple flavor!
- Yield: 12 -14 Cupcakes
- Category: ✽ ✽ ✽
Ingredients
For the Apple Butter Cupcakes:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cups sugar
- 6 tablespoons sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 egg whites
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons apple butter
- 2 tablespoons milk
For the Cinnamon Apple Butter Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup butter, room temperature
- 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 12–15 dried apple chips
Instructions
Make the Apple Butter Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add sour cream and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Add egg whites in two batches, mixing until well combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl, set aside. Combine the apple butter and milk in a small measuring cup.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until well combined. Add the apple butter mixture and mix until well combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Fill the cupcake liners about halfway. Bake for 17-19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.
Make the Cinnamon Apple Butter Frosting:
- Beat the cream cheese and butter together until combined and smooth.
- Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
- Add the apple butter, vanilla extract and ground cinnamon and mix until smooth.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
- Pipe swirls of frosting onto the cupcakes using a large open star tip, then top them with a dried apple chip.
Notes
- Store cupcakes in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY:
Apple Pie Cake
Apple & Goat Cheese Cake
Apple Crumb Cake
Baked Apple Donuts
Apple Pie Cupcakes
I live in the uk what is apple butter and do you happen to have a recipe it would be grately appreciated. Thank you
Apple butter is a very thick, spreadable form of apple sauce made by slow cooking apples to the point the sugar in the apples caramelizes and turns deep brown. You can purchase a jar online here or find a recipe to make your own here.
Nice Recipe, roasted apple arrangement is looking beautiful.
Whaddup, fall!? I’m totally in love with everything about these little guys. Fluffy frosting, crisp apple chip- just doesn’t get any better than this!
Can this be made into a layer cake?
I’m sure it would make a delicious layer cake Catherine! The recipe would need to be doubled, or more, depending on the size of cake pan and how many layers you want. You can also check out our Fall Gallery for other apple layer cake recipes.
Can you use any butter with this recipe? Like pumpkin butters? Looks DIVINE!!
Pumpkin butter SOUNDS divine! One thing to keep in mind when making a substitution is how it affects the moisture and fat content in a recipe. Too much moisture can cause the cupcake/cake to sink. Too little moisture and the results will be dry. Have fun and let us know how it turns out!
These were good. I ended up having so much icing leftover I made more cupcakes. The icing is the best part!
Hi
These look lovely! I was wondering if the egg whites are meant to be whisked before adding them, or if they go straight in to the batter as a liquid? I’ve never seen egg whites added without whisking them so I thought I’d check 🙂
Thanks!
Liz
The egg whites go straight into the batter, just as you would add a whole egg to the cake batter. Only difference is we’re just using the whites.
Great, thanks! 🙂
Looks amazing and the apple garnish on top is so unique and charming!
I made these last week. Wow they are good! I didn’t change a thing about the recipe but I did double the cake Recipe to make 24. The cake was moist and stayed moist for days. The icing was just the right thickness to pipe and decorate with. These are seriously perfect for a fall time event. This went straight in to my recipe book to stay. Thank you for sharing!
Amazing article and I would like to make this cupcake for my kids thank you for sharing
Due to the cream cheese frosting, how long can these sit out?
Thanks
I was looking fr an autumnal recipe, looks like I found it! Thank you, can;t wait to try it!
Thank you for this recipe! I doubled the recipe and didn’t wan’t to use 6 egg whites so instead I used 3 whole eggs. The cake was phenomenal!
The frosting however was too sweet for my taste (I couldn’t taste the tanginess from the cream cheese anymore). I added another 8oz package of cream cheese and it tasted a lot better.
Looks like I found the right recipe for autumn.
Any chance the cream cheese could be swapped out for butter? Or how long would they be shelf stable with the cream cheese frosting?
I made this and they were such a hit! I’m trying to double the recipe but the link to do so isnt working. Did anyone double it and could share the amounts with me?
Thanks!