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Delicious apple cinnamon cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

Delectable Apple Cinnamon Swirl Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

These delightful apple cinnamon swirl cupcakes, crowned with a luscious vanilla bean cream cheese frosting, offer a perfect balance of spiced fruit and creamy sweetness. Ideal for any occasion, they are sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 12 cupcakes
Calories 420 kcal

Equipment

  • Oven
  • 12-cup muffin tin
  • Paper liners
  • Large bowl
  • Medium bowl
  • Whisk
  • Spatula
  • Wire rack
  • Electric mixer
  • Wooden skewer
  • Offset spatula or piping bag

Ingredients
  

For the Moist Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
  • ½ cup milk (whole or 2%)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups fresh apples (Honeycrisp or Gala), peeled, cored, and finely diced

For the Luscious Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1 stick unsalted butter (½ cup), softened
  • 3-4 cups powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar), sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste)
  • Pinch salt

Instructions
 

Cupcakes

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  • In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  • Gently pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
  • Fold in the finely diced apples until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
  • Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
  • Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Allow cupcakes to cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

  • In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy (2-3 minutes).
  • Beat in the vanilla extract (or paste) and a pinch of salt until fully combined.
  • With the mixer on low, gradually add sifted powdered sugar, then increase speed to medium-high and beat for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.
  • Once cupcakes are completely cool, generously frost them using an offset spatula or piping bag, then serve garnished as desired.

Notes

For the best results, ensure all ingredients for the frosting are at room temperature. Do not overmix the cupcake batter to keep them tender. Make sure cupcakes are completely cool before frosting.