Spiced Apple Cupcake with Salted Caramel Frosting

Why This Cake Works (Even for Non-Bakers)

Apple-Filled Spice Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream

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If baking usually stresses you out, this is the recipe for you. It starts with a humble cake mix, gets upgraded with warm spices and a quick brown-butter apple compote, and finishes with a silky salted caramel buttercream. Overbake a touch? Still great. Overmix a bit? Still delicious.

I’ve had my fair share of cake disasters—leaving them in the oven for 30 seconds too long, only to end up with a dry, crumbly mess. Not this one. The secret is a cake-mix base plus a few magical upgrades (hello, brown-butter apples 🍏) and a luscious salted caramel buttercream that tastes like pure autumn bliss.

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Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

• 1 (15–16 oz) box vanilla or yellow cake mix
• Spice Mix: 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp ginger, pinch of allspice
• 1 (3.4 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix (dry)
• 4 large eggs
• ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
• ¾ cup water
• ¾ cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the Brown-Butter Apple Compote

• 1 medium apple, peeled and diced (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith work well)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (for browning)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Pinch of salt (optional, but nice)

For the Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 3–4 cups powdered sugar (start with 3, add more for thicker/sweeter frosting)
• 2 tablespoons salted caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2–3 tablespoons milk, cream, or half-and-half
• Pinch of flaky sea salt (optional)

Optional Garnish: extra caramel drizzle + flaky sea salt

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Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep the pan
   Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners (you’ll get ~18–24 cupcakes).
2. Mix the wet ingredients
   In a large bowl (or stand mixer), combine eggs, oil, water, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute.
3. Add the dry ingredients
   Add the cake mix, spice mix, and dry pudding mix. Mix on medium for about 30 seconds, scraping the bowl once. (Avoid overmixing.)
4. Make the apple compote
   In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook until lightly browned and nutty (1–3 minutes). Add diced apple, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Sauté until apples are slightly softened and syrupy, 2–4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely.
5. Fill & bake
   Add a heaping tablespoon of batter to each liner, spoon ~1 teaspoon cooled apple compote over it (try to keep it centered), then top with more batter until liners are about ⅔ full.
   Bake 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted at the edge of a cupcake (not through the compote pocket) comes out clean.
6. Cool completely
   Let cupcakes rest 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool. Chill briefly in the fridge before frosting if your kitchen is warm.
7. Make the frosting
   Beat butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy.
   Gradually add powdered sugar, then mix in caramel sauce and vanilla.
   Add milk/cream 1 tablespoon at a time until smooth and fluffy.
   Taste and add up to 1 more cup powdered sugar for thicker or sweeter frosting.
   A pinch of flaky salt enhances the caramel flavor.
8. Frost & finish
   Pipe or spread frosting on cooled cupcakes. Drizzle with caramel and finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

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Tips for Success

• Cool the compote: Warm apples can melt the batter and sink; cooling helps keep a nice layered bite.
• Test doneness smartly: Insert a toothpick near the edge so you don’t hit the compote pocket.
• Powdered sugar range: Use 3 cups for softer, less sweet frosting; 4 cups for a sturdier swirl.

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Final Thoughts

This is the kind of dessert that makes everyone think you spent hours in the kitchen—when really, you just hacked a box mix. And yes…I shamelessly ate three cupcakes’ worth. 🫣 Totally worth it.