The Best Apple Cider Cupcakes Recipe

This time of year of full of fall celebrations. Between harvest parties and Halloween parties, there are a lot of fall treats. When it comes to fall cupcakes, there are two predominant flavors that come to mind. Apples and Pumpkins. While pumpkin spice is nice, I love apples. I could eat apple treats all the time. Apple Cider Cupcakes make the perfect fall cupcake.

Well, why not? You can make any cupcake recipe into a fall inspired treat. The flavors of cider is already very fall-esque. Make an apple pie cupcake, apple cake or these amazing apple cider cupcakes! If you want to get even more creative, add some spices like ginger or nutmeg . Mix it up and create your own perfect fall cupcake flavors.

When you make cupcakes with apple cider, it gives a bigger and brighter flavor. The cupcakes comes with a huge cider flavor instead of tasting of apples. It makes an incredible cupcake combination.

You can take this recipe for apple cider cupcakes and make it into an apple cider cake instead. When making apple cider cake, you will want to use either a 9*13 cake pan or use 8 inch round cake pans. Depending on the size cake pan you use, the baking time will vary. Once the cakes are done baking and have cooled, use the cinnamon frosting to frost the cake. You can still make these cute apples out of fondant and use them to decorate the top of the cake. If making 8 inch pans, use the frosting and a layer between the two cake layers.

Once you have made these cupcakes and frosted them, you will want to make sure to keep the cupcakes covered. Because of the cinnamon cream cheese frosting, these cupcakes should be stored in the refrigerator so the icing does not spoil. Be sure to use an airtight container to prevent the cupcakes from getting stale. Cupcakes that are stored in the refrigerator tend to last longer, but they do dry out faster as well.

Apple cider is unfiltered apple juice. When apples are crushed to make cider, the fruit’s skin and core are included. This gives it a hazy or cloudy appearance because of the suspended particles. Because these particles have not been removed, apple cider has more nutrients than apple juice.

As far as taste goes, apple juice made from concentrate tends to be less sweet and have a little bit of apple flavor. Unfiltered apple juice, like what you would find in the carton at the store, has more pulp and flavor to it. Both are delicious options, but apple cider has a stronger punch of flavor.

Yes, you can use apple juice in place of apple cider. The only catch is that if you do not add as much sweetener to the recipe, the cupcakes may end up tasting slightly less flavorful because apple juice has less of a punch the cider. If possible, I recommend using the cider because of the flavor it provides.

The best way to test if cupcakes are done is to use a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out without any dough or batter sticking to it, the cupcakes are done! Make sure not to over bake them because they will dry out and not taste as moist and delicious as when you first made them.

For these apple cider cupcakes, you can use either a standard size muffin pan or mini sized pans. These are really your personal preference. I personally like using the smaller size because it creates more of a bite-sized treat! You can control how much batter you put in each one and it is so much easier to eat.

If you use the mini pans, I recommend baking them for 12-13 minutes. Use a toothpick to double check when they are done and then leave them in the pan for two minutes before moving to a cooling rack. The full size cupcakes will take roughly 18-22 minutes depending on your oven. When they are done, remove them from the oven and place on a cooling rack for about two minutes before removing to another rack. This will help prevent the cupcakes from becoming too moist or soggy when you ice them.

These cupcakes can be made in advance. However, I would not recommend making them the day before you plan to serve them. The cinnamon frosting will soak into the cake and cause it to dry out if left too long. Even

if you make the cupcakes a day in advance, I would not recommend frosting them until it is time to serve them. That way, they are at peak taste and freshness!

• eggs
• flour
• apple cider
• light brown sugar
• salted butter
• baking powder
• cinnamon
• salt

• unsalted butter
• cream cheese
• powder sugar
• vanilla
• cinnamon

• Red Fondant (You can get fondant at Walmart, craft stores or Amazon)
• Mini apple cookie cutter
• Red, brown and green gel food coloring (I swear by Wilton gel colors)
• Small pastry paint brush
• Wax paper

Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake tin with paper liners.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg has been added.

In a small bowl add baking powder, cinnamon, and salt mixing these together.

Add this mixture to the egg, butter and sugar bowl stirring as you add.

Start by adding flour to the other bowl, then add apple cider, continue to alternate adding the flour with the apple cider until all of the ingredients have been completely blended together.

Using a medium ice cream scoop, fill each lined cupcake tin with batter ¾’s full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

Cool briefly then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

With an electric mixer beat the butter and cream cheese together until blended.

Then add the vanilla, mixing until all ingredients are well blended.

Spoon the frosting into a pastry bag with a #13 tip.

Twisting the open end of the pastry bag to push the frosting to the tip and working from the outside edge of the cupcake to the center of the cupcake in a circular motion.

Roll out the fondant on a piece of wax paper.

Using a miniature apple cookie cutter make several apples.

Now with the red gel food coloring, paint the body of the apple a bright red.

Add the stem of the apple with the brown gel food coloring and next add the leaves with the green gel food coloring by painting each one with the paint brush.

Allow drying completely then using a spatula remove each apple from the wax paper and directly add it to the frosted cupcake.

More apple desserts

I am such a sucker for apple desserts. Apple cupcakes, apple cake, apple cobbler, apple anything. Two of my favorite desserts are my simple apple cobbler, which is a take on a dump cake, and my Jewish Apple Cake that my grandmother used to make. I even have an apple cider donut recipe that tastes amazing. Since apples are so sweet, you don’t need much sugar, like in our low sugar apple pie. If you love apple cupcakes and can’t get enough apple treats, check out these mouthwatering apple recipes.

• Poison Apple Cider Recipe (Spiced Homemade Apple Cider)
• Caramel Apple Dip
• Sparkling Apple-Ginger Punch