1large apple, peeled and grated or finely diced (about 1 cup or 125 g)
Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting
1cup(226 g or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 ½cups(300 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
2teaspoonspure vanilla extract
1teaspoonground cinnamon
1-2tablespoonsmilk
Instructions
Apple Spice Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), mix together on medium-high speed the butter, brown sugar and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, then mix until combined.
Add half the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Mix in the milk until combined, then add remaining flour mixture. Stir in diced apples by hand. Avoid over-mixing the batter.
Transfer batter to prepared muffin tin and fill each cup three-quarters full. Bake cupcakes for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with little to no crumbs. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), whip the butter on high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add in the confectioners' sugar until completely incorporated. With the mixer on medium speed, add the vanilla and cinnamon, and beat for a minute, until fluffy. Add milk until desired consistency is reached.
Transfer to a frosting bag with desired tip and frost cupcakes. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon and apple slice if desired.
Notes
Apples: Granny Smith, Honeycrisp or Braeburn apples are best for baking.Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.Freeze cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.