Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes
Moist, fluffy, and perfectly spiced. These Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes are a simple fall inspired cupcake that is quick and easy to make and perfect for any kind of celebration!
If you're looking for more fall recipes with cinnamon, check out Snickerdoodle Biscotti, Cinnamon Sweet Potato Bread Without Eggs, Maple Cinnamon Olive Oil Granola, or Cinnamon Honey Cream Cheese Spread.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes
- Ready In: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Makes: 12 cupcakes
- Main Ingredients: apples, light brown sugar, all purpose flour, powdered sugar
- Flavor Profile: lightly spiced apple cake with creamy vanilla frosting
- Dietary Info: gluten free swap available
- Difficulty: Easy!
- Why You’ll Love It: cozy fall inspired treat using apples for the perfect fall dessert
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- IG Favorite: You guys voted for this recipe on Instagram! If you don't follow along, be sure to follow me @mimisoragniceats as I share polls of recipes frequently for you to vote on each month! And, this was one of your picks! I always love taking your requests, so here's your vote of Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes.
- Perfectly Spiced: These just taste like fall! I know most fall spiced recipes include pumpkin, which is why I love these apple cupcakes as they use fresh apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon for a cozy cupcake that is perfectly spiced for a littl
- Easy AF: This is the easiest Apple Cinnamon Cupcake recipe ever. This is basically a dump cake recipe, which means you can just dump all the ingredients together and mix them up! You cannot mess up these cupcakes as long as you measure properly. Sometimes an easy recipe is just what you need.
- Organic Cupcakes: I love making organic cupcakes at home because I know the ingredients going into the batter and frosting. These Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes are going to be so much better than store bought!
These Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes are a seasonal recipe from my bakery menu! Popular among both kids and adults, these simple fall cupcakes are a wonderful alternative to pumpkin spice.
If you're hosting a Halloween party or fall event and you're looking for something other than traditional pumpkin, these are perfect! For more fall desserts that are not pumpkin, check out some of my other favorites like Maple Spice Cake With Brown Sugar Frosting, Organic Halloween Cookies With Sprinkles, Carrot Cake Donuts with Apple Cider Glaze, or Vegan Snickers Bars.
Ingredients
- Apples: I use organic Fuiji apples, but another sweet variety like Gala, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady are also great options. The best apples will be a sweet variety, so just use your favorite.
- Canola Oil: I use organic canola oil as this is the most neutral oil. But, you can also use avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil if you are avoiding seed oils.
- Light Brown Sugar: I also use my homemade light brown sugar, but store bought also works. Light brown sugar also adds more depth of flavor an a richness to these organic cupcakes.
- Cinnamon: I use my favorite organic Korintjne cinnamon. If you want to learn more about cinnamon varieties, read my article Best Cinnamon to Bake With.
- Eggs: Use large eggs, as using eggs that are too small can make cupcake dry and eggs that are too large can make cupcakes sink. Eggs contribute to cupcakes rising properly and the fluffy tender texture.
- All Purpose Flour: I use organic all purpose flour in these organic cupcakes because the apples add a lot of extra moisture, so this higher protein content flour will help create the best texture.
- Baking Powder: Use baking powder, not soda. Be sure to check out my post the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder for more info on leavening agents.
- Butter: I use organic salted butter, but unsalted butter works too if you prefer. Check out Best Salted Butter for Baking for my top picks for frosting.
- Vanilla Bean: I use organic ground vanilla bean in the frosting for more depth of flavor. Vanilla bean paste also works, but vanilla bean paste is just vanilla beans with added sugars and gums, so I never buy vanilla bean paste for this reason as it's not necessary. If you don't have this though you can use vanilla extract as well.
*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.
Tips for Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes
- Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
- I use canola oil as it's the most neutral oil, but feel free to use EVOO or avocado oil if you are avoiding seed oils.
- The cake batter is quick and easy to make, you can use a mixing bowl with a whisk, an electric mixer or even your stand mixer.
- You will need a mixer for the frosting, stand or hand mixer both work.
- If your cupcakes sank, they were probably underbaked. All ovens are a bit different and cupcakes can sink when they are not baked long enough. You can always do a test cupcake to ensure you have the right baking time for your oven.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting, you can transfer to a wire rack to help them cool faster.
- If you want to top these with a cinnamon-cream cheese frosting instead, use my recipe for Easy Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting and add in 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
- These would also be delicious with a caramel frosting, try my recipe for Caramel Buttercream Frosting.
- You can also drizzle a little Homemade True Caramel on top too if you want!
- Gluten Free — Replace the all purpose flour with 191 grams (scant 1 ¼ cups) gluten free flour blend.
- Store cupcakes under a cake dome or in an airtight container to stay fresh.
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. To make the batter: In a large mixing bowl, grate the apple.
- Then add the canola oil, cane sugar, light brown sugar, and eggs.
- Mix together with a hand mixer on medium-high speed until combined.
- Next, add in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and sea salt in that order.
- Mix on low to combine the dry ingredients until there are no bits of flour.
- Fill cupcake liners three-quarters full.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the cupcake pan.
- To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla bean. Mix on low until combined, then speed mixer up to high for 1 to 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Transfer to a piping bag with Ateco tip #827.
- To make the topping: In a small dish, add the cane sugar and cinnamon and swirl together. Frost each cupcake and sprinkle the top with the topping.
Yes, if you prefer to use something else besides Fuji you definitely can! I also like to use Gala or Pink Lady, as those are similar. I think a sweet apple is best here. But, if you like Granny Smith's or Red Delicious most, then use those. It doesn't matter what kind of apple you use, but the apple you choose will give flavor to the cupcake. So, choose an apple you like the flavor of.
No, you don't need to peel the apples. The peel softens as the cupcakes bake, and finely grating the apple keeps the texture nice and tender.
Finely grated apples allows them to distribute evenly throughout the batter and add moisture and apple flavor to every bite without leaving large chunks of fruit in the cupcakes. Think about how you would grate carrot or zucchini for a cake recipe, it's the same idea.
Yes, you can use avocado oil or even extra virgin olive oil in place of canola oil if you are avoiding seed oils. I just use canola oil here for the most neutral flavor.
Yes, just replace the all purpose flour with 191 grams (scant 1 ¼ cups) gluten free flour blend.
You can, but the flavor is not as good. Using ground vanilla bean creates much more depth of flavor. This is what is going to make these cupcakes taste like they came from a bakery. This is the organic ground vanilla bean I use.
No, absolutely not! I use Ateco tip #827 for these cupcakes. You can use any tip you want or you can skip the tip completely. You can even frost them with a butter knife, they will still be delicious!
If you under baked them or over filled them, they can sink in the middle. Ovens can vary so you can test to ensure they are done by sticking a toothpick in the center and making sure it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (not wet).
Yes, you can make them a day in advance if you can store them under a cake dome so they stay moist and fluffy.
These Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes are moist and fluffy, so they should be stored in an airtight container to retain their soft and moist texture. The best option for that is a cake dome at room temperature. You can also use tupperware if you need to.
You can, but I recommend freezing them unfrosted for the best results. Store baked and unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Then, you can thaw them in the fridge for 24 hours and then frost.
Recipe FAQ's
More Fall Recipes with Apples
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Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes
Equipment
- Digital Food Scale
- Box Grater
- Stand Mixer
- Piping Bag
- Ateco Tip #827
Ingredients
Batter
- 113 grams finely grated Fuji apple (about 1 large apple)
- ½ cup canola oil
- 113 grams cane sugar
- 75 grams light brown sugar (packed)
- 2 large eggs
- 191 grams all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Frosting
- 226 grams salted butter (softened)
- 454 grams powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon ground vanilla bean
Topping
- 1 tablespoon cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
- To make the batter: In a large mixing bowl, add the grated apple, canola oil, cane sugar, light brown sugar, and eggs. Mix together with a hand mixer on medium-high speed until combined.
- Next, add in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and sea salt in that order. Mix on low to combine the dry ingredients until there are no bits of flour.
- Fill cupcake liners three-quarters full.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the cupcake pan.
- To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla bean. Mix on low until combined, then speed mixer up to high for 1 to 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Transfer to a piping bag with Ateco tip #827.
- To make the topping: In a small dish, add the cane sugar and cinnamon and swirl together.
- Frost each cupcake and sprinkle the top with the topping.
- Store in a cake dome or in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Video
Notes
- Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
- I use canola oil as it's the most neutral oil, but feel free to use EVOO or avocado oil if you are avoiding seed oils.
- The cake batter is quick and easy to make, you can use a mixing bowl with a whisk, an electric mixer or even your stand mixer.
- You will need a mixer for the frosting, stand or hand mixer both work.
- If your cupcakes sank, they were probably underbaked. All ovens are a bit different and cupcakes can sink when they are not baked long enough. You can always do a test cupcake to ensure you have the right baking time for your oven.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting, you can transfer to a wire rack to help them cool faster.
- If you want to top these with a cinnamon-cream cheese frosting instead, use my recipe for Easy Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting and add in 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
- These would also be delicious with a caramel frosting, try my recipe for Caramel Buttercream Frosting.
- You can also drizzle a little Homemade True Caramel on top too if you want!
- Gluten Free — Replace the all purpose flour with 191 grams (scant 1 ¼ cups) gluten free flour blend.
- Store cupcakes under a cake dome or in an airtight container to stay fresh.
- High Altitude — Follow the recipe as noted.
Nutrition
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These are a delicious fall cupcake, perfectly spiced!
These Cupcakes are a delightful treat that perfectly captures the essence of fall. The cupcakes are beautifully spiced with a light and delicious frosting.
These are so yummy! The perfect fall treat! They are super flavorful, fluffy, and moist! Truly, the perfect cupcake and I cannot wait to make these again! Everyone loved them!
Delicious, moist, and perfect amount sweetness.