The Best Delicious & Easy Apple Pie Cupcakes
A creative dessert that captures the essence of apple pie in a cupcake format. The recipe features a moist, spiced butter cupcake that is topped with a mound of pre-cooked, cinnamon-apple pie filling before baking. The cupcake batter bakes up and around the apple filling, creating a tender cake with a warm fruit center. The finished cupcakes are brushed with butter and sugar during the bake for a slightly crisp top and are finished with a dollop of a unique whipped topping stabilized with sour cream.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes (includes cooling times)
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking, Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- For the Apple Filling:
- 3 medium apples (e.g., Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Large pinch of ground cinnamon
- Pinch of fine salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- For the Cupcakes:
- Cooking spray
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk, plus 1 tablespoon for brushing
- For the Whipped Topping:
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
Instructions
- Make the Apple Filling: In a medium bowl, toss the sliced apples with the granulated sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the apples and cook, stirring frequently, for about 6 minutes, until tender. Stir in the flour until it dissolves and the liquid thickens. Remove from the heat and let the filling cool completely. Divide the cooled filling into 12 small mounds.
- Make the Cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and coat them with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- In another medium bowl, beat the sugar and eggs with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Gradually pour in the melted butter, then add the vanilla.
- On low speed, add half the flour mixture, then the milk, then the remaining flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Top each with a mound of the cooled apple filling.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the tin from the oven, gently brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
- Continue to bake for 6 to 8 more minutes, until the cupcakes spring back when pressed. Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make the Whipped Topping and Serve: Beat the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and sour cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
- Pipe a dollop of the whipped topping onto each cooled cupcake and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Notes
- Special equipment: A pastry bag or a large resealable plastic bag is recommended for the topping.
- The apple filling is pre-cooked and cooled, which ensures the apples are tender and the filling is thick.
- The cupcake batter is thin, so using a liquid measuring cup to pour it can be helpful.
- The sour cream in the whipped topping adds a slight tang and helps to stabilize it.
Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/apple-pie-cupcakes/