Salted Caramel Apple Cupcakes made with a spiced apple cupcake and topped with a delicious salted caramel icing. They melt in your mouth and are such a delicious alternative for a traditional dessert! 

If you have a sweet tooth and a love for autumn’s favourite flavour duo, these cupcakes are for you. The apple keeps these cupcakes moist without making them heavy and the added spices pair perfectly with the delicious salted caramel. 

There’s something about a bake, be it sweet or savoury, that brings comfort to a cold day and these cupcakes certainly do that. The weather here is horrible at the moment; it’s cold, rainy and I am not enjoying these dark evenings. After a very wet walk with our dogs I decided to get baking!

I had some Granny Smith apples leftover that needed using up and couldn’t think of a better way to use them! Any apple that you like will work but I find that Granny Smiths are a brilliant allrounder for cakes, crumbles and pies. The slightly more acidic flavour lends itself very well with the sweetness of the cake and icing. 

The caramel is simple but of course you can use a shop brought option if you prefer. Just remember when you are making the caramel that you do not stir it once the sugar has dissolved. You can swirl the saucepan every now and then if you need to but if you stir it, it can cause crystals to form. This will give you a slightly grainy and lumpy caramel as opposed to the smooth and shiny caramel we are after.

So, if it’s a cosy dessert your looking for this weekend, these Apple and Salted Caramel Cupcakes are just what you need. With their spices, apples and totally addictive Salted Caramel Buttercream, you’ll have a hard time stopping at one.

Makes 12 cupcakes

🛒 Ingredients 🛒 

For the cupcakes: 

▪️175g butter

▪️175g soft brown sugar

▪️175g flour

▪️3 eggs 

▪️250g Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped

▪️2 tsp ground ginger

▪️3/4 tsp cinnamon

▪️1/4 tsp nutmeg

▪️1/4 tsp ground clove

▪️1 tsp vanilla extract

For the icing:

▪️175g Butter

▪️350g icing sugar

▪️1 tbsp milk

▪️1/2 tsp vanilla extract

▪️1/2 of your salted caramel

For the caramel:

▪️225g granulated sugar

▪️1/2 tsp salt

▪️60ml water

▪️60ml double cream

▪️60g unsalted butter

👩‍🍳 Recipe 👩‍🍳

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (fan assisted). 
2. In a bowl combine the butter and sugar and whisk until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure they are fully incorporated before adding the next one. 
3. Add in the vanilla extract. Then fold in the flour and spices and mix until combined. Fold through the chopped apple pieces.
4. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases.
5. Bake in the oven on the centre shelf for 15-18 minutes. They should spring back when touched. 
6. To make the salted caramel; add the sugar and salt to a large pan and cover with the water. Bring to a simmer and stir until the sugar has dissolved. 
7. Once the sugar has dissolved, bring the caramel to a boil. Boil for 4-5 minutes without stirring until the caramel turns a golden brown. 
8. Once the caramel’s colour has changed take it off the heat and add the butter and cream. Stir through but be careful as the mixture will bubble up slightly. Leave to cool. 
9. To make the buttercream beat the butter until very soft. Add in the icing sugar in stages. If you do it all at once it will go everywhere! Add in the milk, vanilla extract and half of your salted caramel and stir well. 
10. To bring the cupcakes together, begin when they have fully cooled. 
11. Pipe the buttercream on, in whichever style you like and top with the rest of the salted caramel!