{Recipe} Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes with Cinnamon Vanilla Buttercream Icing

If you have been around here often enough, you might have gathered that I have a secret love affair with cinnamon. I add it to any recipe that I can get away with. And here is the kicker…hubby cannot hardly stand the stuff. UGH! Makes me feel like I don’t even know the man…

I digress…

Here is one of my latest baking creations and I hope you love it as much as we did!

(This recipe makes around 14-16 cupcakes, you might need two 12 count muffin pans.)

Ingredients for the cupcakes:

• 1 2/3 cups of all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) of melted butter
• 1 cup of granulated white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup of applesauce
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 2 cups of peeled and chopped apples

Ingredients for the icing:

• 1 stick of butter (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup of shortening
• 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Directions for the cupcakes:

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line your cupcake (muffin) pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

Melt your butter in a microwave safe container.

Put your melted butter into a large mixing bowl and add in your granulated sugar and whisk vigorously until completely combined. It will be very gritty. Whisk in your egg until combined. Now add in your applesauce, milk, and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Add in your apples and fold until mixed in.

Add in your dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do Not over mix the batter.

Fill your cupcake liners 3/4 of the way with batter. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on cooling racks.

Directions for the icing:

In a stand mixer or hand mixer using the paddle, cream the butter and shortening on medium for about 3 minutes. Turning the mixer down to low, add in one cup of the powdered sugar and mix until well combined. Scrap the sides of the mixer frequently so that everything mixes completely. Slowly add in all of the powered sugar in the same fashion until it is well combined. Once all of the powdered sugar is mixed in, add in your cinnamon and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.

Turn the mixer speed back up to medium and mix the icing for at least 2 minutes.

If you want, buttercream icing can be put onto the cupcakes with an icing knife or you can use a decorators disposable bag with a decretive tip.

This is a pretty stiff icing, so once it is on the cupcakes, it will not fall. So…be creative!

{The dollop that you see on top of the cupcakes is praline sauce. I had an idea, made the praline sauce, added it to the top of the icing and then I realized that it was reeeeeeaaaallllly too sweet. But, if you want to do the same… You will need 1/2 stick of butter and 1/2 cup of brown sugar. Melt the butter in a pan, adding in the brown sugar, stirring constantly. Bring to boil. Let it boil for a minute. Remove from heat, let it cool before putting on top of the icing. It will make your icing run if you apply it before it is cool enough.}

Once you have your cupcakes iced, they will be good at room temperature for up to 3 days.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, feel free to let me know how yours turns out!

In His Grace.

Callie