If you like the tart taste of apple cider, then these apple cider cupcakes will have you enjoying a mug– in cupcake form! Sweet and tangy, these cupcakes are a fall treat.
Cinnamon and Apple Flavors
When it comes to fall baking, nothing quite hits the spot like the warm and comforting flavors of cinnamon and apple. That’s why I’m excited to share a delightful recipe for cinnamon cupcakes with apple cider buttercream that will surely be a hit at any autumn gathering.
Apple Cider Mix in Apple Cider Cupcakes
The cinnamon cupcakes are moist, fluffy, and packed with aromatic cinnamon flavor. The key is to use just the right amount of cinnamon to infuse the cupcakes with a cozy, warming sensation without overpowering the palate. Once baked and cooled, they provide the perfect base for the star of the show—the apple cider buttercream.
What sets this frosting apart is the use of apple cider drink mix powder, which adds a concentrated apple flavor and a hint of tartness that beautifully complements the sweetness of the buttercream. It’s an unexpected twist that takes these cupcakes to the next level and makes them truly unforgettable. The powder comes in a packet (shown below). Although you can use brands other than the one I show, this one has a particularly tart and delicious flavor!
Other Mixes for Apple Cider Cupcakes
When choosing a mix for these cupcakes, choose an apple cider instead of a mulling spice. Some mulling mixes do not have much apple flavor, while some are heavy on orange flavor and others on cinnamon. They can create a delicious cupcake, but it might not be apple cider flavored.
Do Not Overbake Apple Cider Cupcakes
When making cupcakes, cook them for the least amount of minutes listed in the recipe and check them to prevent overbaking. You want them to be light and fluffy! Also, remember that they will continue cooking after you remove them from the oven. Let them cool briefly, and then move them to a wire rack (or at least out of the muffin pan) so that they can cool. Enjoy!
Other Apple Recipes You Might Enjoy
Click on each name to link to the recipe.
- Easy to Make Apple Pie Stacks
- Apple Cider Doughnuts
- Grated Apple Pie
- Cinnamon Apple Moscow Mule
- Apple Dumplings
- Salted Caramel Apple Bars
Apple Cider Cupcakes
Equipment
- 1 piping bag
- 1 large star tip
- 24 cupcake liners
- muffin pan
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- ⅔ cup sour cream, room temperature
- ¾ cup buttermilk, room temperature and shaken (see note at the end of the recipe)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- (1) 15 to 16-ounce box white cake mix
Frosting
- 3 sticks salted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons apple cider mix
- 1 pinch salt
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream
- 5 – 5 ½ cups powdered (icing) sugar
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Place cupcake liners into a muffin pan.
- Add the sour cream, buttermilk, vanilla, eggs, and vegetable oil to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth.
- Place the cake mix and cinnamon into a sifter or wire mesh strainer and sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir until smooth but not overmixed. Do not skip sifting the cake mix to prevent a lumpy batter.
- Place the cake batter into the cupcake liners using a cookie scoop or large spoon, filling them 1/2 to 2/3 full.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the cupcakes are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean or with crumbs. Do not overbake. Remove the cupcakes from the oven. After a couple of minutes of cooling, move them to a rack to cool before frosting.
Frosting
- Beat the butter, vanilla, apple cider mix, salt, and cream with an electric mixer until creamy.
- Place the apple cider mix, salt, vanilla, and cream into a small bowl. Stir until the apple cider mix dissolves. Pour into the bowl with the butter and beat until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating between each addition. If the frosting is too stiff, add more cream. If too soft, add more sugar.
- Use a piping bag and a large star tip to pipe frosting onto the cupcakes. Pipe a circle of frosting around the outside of the cupcake top. Continue circling, moving closer to the center. This will make the frosting taller in the center of the cupcake.