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+ servings
A wooden tray filled with Caramel Apple Cupcakes along with a stems, leaves, and chopped pecans.
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5 from 5 votes

CARAMEL APPLE CUPCAKES

Caramel Apple Cupcakes are my fun and delicious take on apples growing on a tree, complete with a stem, leaves, and (in a perfect world) a thick caramel coating.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dessert, dessert-cupcakes
Servings: 20 servings
Calories: 211kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) butter melted
  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 1 ¼ cups milk
  • 2 Granny Smith Apples peeled and diced
  • 1 ½ cups chopped pecans toasted (reserve some for topping)
  • Twigs with leaves*
  • plastic wrap to wrap around the base of the twigs
  • 2 jars prepared caramel sauce or 1½ cups homemade caramel sauce

Instructions

  • -Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius)
  • -Prepare the muffin pans with a healthy dose of cooking spray and set them aside (no muffin liners required).
  • -In a dry skillet, toast the pecans over low heat until you just start to smell them, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool while you prepare the batter.
  • -In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  • -Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add melted butter, eggs, and milk.
  • -Blend on medium speed until all the ingredients are blended and incorporated, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  • -Using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir in most of the toasted pecans (reserve some for topping) and all the peeled, diced apples.
  • -Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins making sure that they're at least ¾'s of the way full.
  • -Bake for approximately 20 minutes in the preheated oven or until a toothpick interested in the center comes out clean.
  • -Cool the cupcakes in the pan for about 15 minutes and then remove the cupcakes from the pan and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
  • -In the meantime, scout out some twigs with leaves out in nature. *Note - I used weigela twigs that I cut from some bushes in my backyard. I also removed the bottom leaves from the twigs making sure just to leave the top few leaves in order to mimic a long apple stem with leaves. I did do some research to find out if these bushes were poisonous (they're not), but as a precaution, I made sure to wrap the bottom of each stem with plastic wrap. **MAKE SURE YOU DO THIS STEP WITH WHATEVER STEMS YOU USE**
  • -Once the cupcakes have cooled and you've found and prepared your stems, place the jars of caramel sauce in a low microwave oven to soften the sauce and make it spoonable (this will only take a few seconds).
  • -Now you're ready to spoon the caramel sauce liberally over each cupcake, making sure to let the sauce drip down the sides of the cupcakes.
  • -Top each cupcake with the additional toasted pecans you've reserved and insert a prepared stem (plastic side down) into each cupcake.

Notes

Store any leftovers wrapped well at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Cupcakes may be frozen, wrapped well, for up to 3 months.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 162mg | Potassium: 173mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1mg