Caramel Apple Butter Cupcakes recipe with Caramel Apple Cream Cheese frosting, a great dessert for fall, Halloween, or even Thanksgiving! Such a fun gourmet cupcake recipe!
Caramel Apple Butter Cupcakes, is a fun recipe perfect for fall, Halloween, and even Thanksgiving! These fall cupcakes are also easy to make thanks to store bought apple butter and a cake mix. Topped with a caramel apple cream cheese frosting, chopped nuts, and a drizzle of caramel. One of the best cupcake recipes I’ve ever had if I do say so myself. :) Ready to do some fall baking??
I grew up slathering spoonfuls of apple butter on toast for breakfast. Although apple butter is wonderful on toast, you can use it in a variety of different recipes and it’s perfect for fall baking and cooking. I’m sure you’ve seen cake recipes that use applesauce or pureed fruits/vegetables instead of oil/butter. Well, I thought apple butter would be even BETTER and it sure was!
Only 4 ingredients in the cupcake batter including a cake mix, eggs, cider (or you could use apple juice or water), and apple butter! The apple butter gave the cupcakes a delicious unique apple flavor! You could also add a little cinnamon or apple pie spice to the mix but I really liked the cupcakes without.
The batter for these Caramel Apple Butter Cupcakes only took a few minutes to mix together and the cupcakes were in the oven in no time. They baked up beautifully and turned a nice golden brown color. When they come out of the oven, be sure to let them cool completely on a rack before you frost them. You don’t want the frosting to melt. :)
The caramel apple cream cheese frosting that goes along with these cupcakes is delicious! Cream cheese frosting is the best, don’t you think?? The cream cheese really goes well with the apple flavor! Only 5 ingredients in the frosting recipe including cream cheese, butter, caramel, powdered sugar, and more apple butter.
I will warn you that the recipes makes A LOT of frosting. If you don’t want to decorate the cupcakes with quite so much frosting, be sure to cut the recipe in half or make a double batch of cupcakes.
Top the Caramel Apple Butter Cupcakes with a drizzle of caramel and some chopped nuts and you have yourself some beautiful cupcakes and a festive dessert for fall, Halloween, or even Thanksgiving!
Do you love cupcakes? Check out my other gourmet cupcake recipes for more great ideas for all sorts of cupcakes.
Hope you enjoy these delicious Caramel Apple Butter Cupcakes! Give them a try this fall or for Halloween or Thanksgiving!
Hope you enjoy!
If you like caramel apple recipes you may want to also try my Caramel Apple Bars, delish!
Caramel Apple Butter Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 15.25 ounce yellow cake mix (box)
- 3/4 cup apple cider
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup Apple Butter
Frosting:
- 24 ounces cream cheese (3 - 8 ounce blocks) softened to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks) softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping (thick caramel works best)
- 1/4 cup Apple Butter
- 6 cups powdered sugar
Topping (optional):
- 1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping (thick caramel works best)
- 1 cup finely chopped nuts (such as walnuts, pecans, or peanuts)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 muffin pans with paper baking liners or spray pans with nonstick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl mix together cake mix, cider, eggs, and 1/2 cup apple butter with electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans so that each cup is about 2/3 full.
- Bake cupcakes for about 19-23 minutes or when toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place on wire racks and cool completely.
- To make frosting, mix together cream cheese and butter in large mixing bowl until well combined and lumps are all gone. Mix in 1/4 cup caramel and apple butter until well combined. Slowly mix in powdered sugar until well combined. Frost cupcakes as desired with pastry bag or knife.
- If desired, warm remaining 1/4 cup of caramel in microwave for 15 seconds or until drizzling consistency. Cool slightly then drizzle over cupcakes. Sprinkle nuts on top. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition:
(Nutrition data is provided when available for informational purposes only and calculated using an online nutritional calculator. For the most accurate information please calculate based on specific ingredients and brands you use as well as any changes you made to the recipe. I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietician and any nutritional information provided should only be used as a general guideline and estimate.)
Kylie says
I made these cupcakes hoping that they would be good for thanksgiving dinner. It is currently Wednesday night at 11:00 and these cupcakes were fucking nasty. I now have to throw this shit out and change my idea for the dessert. It was like eating straight up apple cider vinegar. My entire family tried it and had to spit it out. (I had 6 different people try it, and ALL of them spit it out). DO NOT make these cupcakes.
Lisa Huff says
Ummm there is no vinegar in these cupcakes. Did you use apple cider vinegar instead of APPLE CIDER?
April Kitchen says
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Sheila says
I’m dead. 😂
Ashley says
Thanks Marie Callender
Ashley says
😂😂
Lindsay says
Who would put Apple cider vinegar in cupcakes? 😂😂😂
Sheila says
Sharon…
Carla Siu says
The frosting ingredients say 1/4 Musselman’s Apple Butter. 1/4 what, please? Jar, cup, teaspoon? I’m excited to try this recipe!
Lisa Huff says
Yikes, thanks for catching that! It should be 1/4 cup. I just updated. Thank you!
Myki says
Do we use the ingredients listed on the cake box mix in addition to your eggs and apple cider etc? I know the boxes call for water oil and eggs so wondering if it’s 6 eggs for example instead of 3.
Lisa Huff says
No, you do not need the ingredients listed on the box. Just use the cake mix in addition to the ingredients listed in the recipe.
Gulay says
What can we substitute the apple butter with? I live overseas and it is impossible to find apple butter and apple cider :(
I want to make this recipe. Please help
Lisa Huff says
HI! Oh no, you can’t get apple butter? Well, unfortunately it has a very unique taste and consistency. You could make your own or you could substitute cinnamon applesauce.