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Finished apple cider cupcakes on a table.

Apple Cider Cupcakes

These cupcakes combine the unmistakable flavor of apple with earthy, warm cinnamon and a rich vanilla buttercream frosting.
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:18 minutes
Total Time:33 minutes
Servings:12 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For the frosting:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • ½ cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

To make the cupcakes:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.
  • Cream the butter and granulated sugar together in a large bowl, and then mix in the eggs, vanilla, and apple cider until fully incorporated. Then mix in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until just combined.
  • Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cavity ⅔ of the way full.
  • Bake for 18 – 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove them from the oven and let cool completely.

To make the frosting:

  • Whip the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon together in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
  • Add 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar at a time while slowly mixing until all the sugar has been added and fully incorporated.
  • Transfer the frosting into a piping bag and pipe the frosting onto the completely cooled cupcakes. Optionally, lightly dust them with some ground cinnamon. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • Swap the apple cider for apple juice if you want to. It's not exactly the same, but it will work just as well.
  • Add some finely chopped walnuts to the batter if you'd like. Or pecans. Nothing wrong with adding a little crunch!
  • If you aren't confident with piping bags, don't worry - you can spread the frosting over the cupcakes with a knife instead. Sprinkle a little cinnamon on top and they will still be appealing and irresistible!

Nutrition

Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 116mg | Potassium: 144mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 756IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1mg