Caramel Apple Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting {Guest Post}

A fellow New Englander and Momma to three. Carrie of Bakeaholic Mama is one of my new blogging buddies from this past year. Not only do we have pretty basic things in common, but she has a way of enticing me with recipes like this. Seriously can’t stop thinking about it. And then there are these cupcakes…look how high she piled the frosting! Seriously need.

Caramel Apple Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting by Bakeaholic Mama - bakedbyrachel.com

Fall is here. Almost. Just two more days for those who are counting, like me! Here in New Hampshire, fall has been in the air for several weeks now and I for one am loving every second of it! Come on… who doesn’t love an excuse to bake with the windows open, cuddling up in your favorite over sized sweats, foliage, pumpkin lattes, and of course, apples!

This is exactly why every spring I start a diet. Because the fall/winter is spent in sweatpants sipping lattes and eating anything filled with butter and sugar…

When I was a kid every fall, my dad (who can’t cook to save his life!) made a delicious apple cake that reminded him of something his mom made for him. It was a simple spice cake with chunks of apples through out. No frosting, just baked in a pan and cut into squares. To this day apple spice cake is one of my favorite fall treats!

So for Rachel’s Apple A Day Party, I wanted to share a twist on my dad’s famous apple cake!

Caramel Apple Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting by Bakeaholic Mama - bakedbyrachel.com

These cupcakes are moist, filled with chunks of  apples, lots of warmth from the apple pie spice, topped with a creamy cinnamon cream cheese frosting and to make everything that much better, drizzled in caramel. What I love most about this recipe is that it does not make a ton of cake.You’ll be left with about 8 servings unlike the normal cupcake recipe which yields about 24!

Caramel Apple Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting by Bakeaholic Mama - bakedbyrachel.com

Caramel Apple Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Apple, Cupcake

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • 1 1/3 C all purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp apple pie spice
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2/3 C granulated sugar
  • 2/3 C unsalted butter softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2/3 C milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 medium apple peeled and chopped

Frosting

  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2-3 C powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp heavy cream

Caramel

  • 6-8 caramel squares unwrapped
  • 1 Tbsp heavy cream

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F°.
  • In a bowl sift together, flour, apple pie spice, baking powder and salt. Set bowl aside.
  • With an electric mixer cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in vanilla extract,  milk and egg. Mix until incorporated. Slowly mix in your dry ingredients while mixing on medium/low speed.
  • With a rubber spatula fold in apples pieces. Pour batter into lined cupcake tins about 2/3 full or a greased/floured 8 inch cake pan.
  • Bake for about 20 minutes or until a tooth pick is inserted and comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool.
  • Meanwhile for your frosting, in a an electric mixer blend cream cheese with vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon and  2-3 cups of powdered sugar. It's a personal preference for how sweet you like it and how stiff you want it to be. If it's too thick you can add the heavy cream to lighten it up.  Whip until smooth.
  • Frost cooked cakes.
  • For your caramel drizzle, in a small sauce pan add caramel candies and cream. Mix continuously until melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly so it's not too hot to the touch. Drizzle over cupcakes

You can find Carrie on Facebook and Twitter.

Check out some more of Carrie’s delicious recipes: Roasted red pepper alfredo with bacon, Crab rangoons and Cinnamon swirl pumpkin pancakes.

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17 Responses to “Caramel Apple Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting {Guest Post}”

  1. #
    1
    Alex — September 20, 2012 at 6:19 am

    Yes, I also eat and cook more sweet/tempting things when the weather gets colder. :)

    The cupcakes look and sound really delicious.

  2. #
    2
    Carrie @ Bakeaholic Mama — September 20, 2012 at 6:54 am

    Thanks for inviting me to guest post Rachel!!

  3. #
    3
    amy @ fearless homemaker — September 20, 2012 at 8:11 am

    these look fantastic! I always adore Carrie’s recipes. =)

  4. #
    4
    Erica @ In and Around Town — September 20, 2012 at 9:33 am

    Looks like I need to go apple picking!

  5. #
    5
    Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel — September 20, 2012 at 10:09 am

    Oh my gosh, these are totally phenom. I’m kinda obsessing over that glorious caramel drizzle action, just sayin’.

  6. #
    6
    Tracey — September 20, 2012 at 11:11 am

    That caramel drizzle is calling my name, I need it!! Love these cupcakes, the perfect fall dessert!

  7. #
    7
    Carlas Confections — September 20, 2012 at 11:56 am

    Oh I just love these! So pretty. I absolutely love the caramel drizzled over it. Perfect!!!

  8. #
    8
    Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen — September 20, 2012 at 1:30 pm

    Bring it on! Please pass me my sweatpants…

  9. #
    9
    Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts — September 20, 2012 at 3:52 pm

    Oh my those cupcakes look amazing! I can not get enough of apple month!

  10. #
    10
    Amy J — September 20, 2012 at 4:20 pm

    These sound amazing! Adding them to my ‘to-do’ list :-)

  11. #
    11
    Elizabeth@ Food Ramblings — September 21, 2012 at 9:32 am

    I need one of these right now!

  12. #
    12
    Zane & Van | Spicy Beautiful — September 23, 2012 at 10:09 am

    This is so perfect!

  13. #
    13
    Julie @ Table for Two — September 23, 2012 at 8:59 pm

    omg, i’m obsessed with this drink at starbucks..i’m totally make these cupcakes asap cause it’s like drinking the drink but eating it…..all!

  14. #
    14
    Caroline @ chocolate & carrots — September 24, 2012 at 5:11 pm

    Woahhh, these look amazing!

  15. #
    15
    Jonell Hart — November 14, 2012 at 10:37 am

    I made these for my daughter-in-law’s birthday. They were fabulous! My whole family raved about them and my daughter-in-law said they were possibly the best cupcakes she’d ever had! Thanks for a great recipe!

  16. #
    16
    Jenn — November 18, 2012 at 6:40 pm

    was very excited about making them, there currently in the oven. only concern is that the mixture was rather thick. is it suppose to be?

  17. #
    17
    Angie — May 29, 2013 at 11:47 pm

    I made these tonight, and I must say YUMMY. I made an enhancement (in my mind) I made homemade caramel sauce, and I added bacon to it.. DELICIOUS!!
    Thank you!

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