Apple Cider Cupcakes (with Brown Sugar Buttercream Frosting!)

[ibakibi]

Tender, moist and super flavorful recipe for Apple Cider Cupcakes smothered with a Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting makes for the perfect autumn dessert!

Apple Cider Cupcakes

2 eggs
1⅔ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup apple cider
⅔ cup sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

1 cup softened butter
3 cup powdered sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

First, prepare the cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F, Line standard muffin/cupcake tin with paper or foil liners.
2. Cream together butter and sugar in the bowl of a kitchenaid mixer (or using an electric hand mixer).
3. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated.
4. In another bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients.
5. Add the apple cider and the mixture of dry ingredients, alternating between the two, slowly incorporating them into the butter/sugar/egg mixture.
6. Fill cupcake liners ⅔ full and bake at 350º for 17-19 minutes. Bake until toothpick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

Next, prepare the frosting, while the cupcakes bake.

1. Whip butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla together with a mixer until light and fluffy.
2. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until incorporated.
3. Add milk, a little at a time, whipping in between until you reach desired consistency.
4. Transfer the frosting to piping bag and frost each cooled cupcake.
5. Garnish with an apple slice or a drizzle of caramel sauce if desired.

Cupcakes stay fresh at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Apple Cider Cupcakes (with Brown Sugar Buttercream Frosting!) Recipe- Print Now

Apple Cider Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting 🍎🧁

Budget101.com by Melissa 'Liss' Burnell

These Apple Cider Cupcakes capture the cozy flavors of fall in every bite — fluffy, tender, and infused with real apple cider! Topped with a luscious Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting, they’re the perfect treat for autumn gatherings, bake sales, or just when you crave that nostalgic orchard flavor.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 18 minutes mins

Cooling Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 3 minutes mins

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Calories 485 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
• ▢
  12-cup muffin tin
• ▢
  Paper liners
• ▢
  Mixing Bowls
• ▢
  Piping bag and tip (optional)

Ingredients

  

.5x1x2x3x

• ▢ 🧁 Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup apple cider
• ▢ ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
• ▢ 2 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ▢ ½ tsp salt
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting:

• ▢ 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• ▢ 3 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ ½ cup light brown sugar (packed)
• ▢ 1 tsp cinnamon
• ▢ 2 tbsp milk (more as needed for consistency)
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

 

Preheat & Prep:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard muffin tin with 12 paper liners.

Cream the Base:

• In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract.
  2 large eggs

  ⅔ cup granulated sugar

  ½ cup unsalted butter

  1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine Dry Ingredients:

• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
  1⅔ cups all-purpose flour

  2 tsp baking powder

  1 tsp ground cinnamon

  ½ tsp salt

Mix Wet & Dry:

• Alternate adding the dry ingredients and apple cider to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry. Mix on low until just combined — don’t overmix.
  1 cup apple cider

Bake:

• Fill cupcake liners about ⅔ full and bake for 17–19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool completely before frosting.

Make the Frosting:

• While cupcakes cool, beat softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla together until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing until smooth.
  1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

  3 cups powdered sugar

  ½ cup light brown sugar

  1 tsp cinnamon

  2 tbsp milk

  1 tsp vanilla extract
• Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until frosting is light and fluffy.

Decorate:

• Pipe or spread frosting over cooled cupcakes. Optional: garnish with thin apple slices or drizzle with caramel sauce for a bakery-style finish.

Equipment

Stand mixer or electric hand mixer

12-cup muffin tin

Paper liners

Mixing Bowls

Piping bag and tip (optional)

Notes

📝 Recipe Notes & Bonus Tips

🍏 Flavor Boost: Reduce 1½ cups of apple cider down to 1 cup by simmering — this intensifies the apple flavor.

🍂 Texture Tip: For ultra-moist cupcakes, don’t overbake; check at 17 minutes.

🧁 Make Ahead: Cupcakes can be baked a day in advance and stored unfrosted in an airtight container.

❄️ Storage: Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring to room temp before serving.

🎃 Variation: Add a pinch of nutmeg or cloves for extra fall spice flavor.

Recipe Size Alteration Note

If you altered the ingedients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cooking/baking time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 485kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 3gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 187mgPotassium: 75mgFiber: 1gSugar: 52gVitamin A: 754IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 1mgNet Carbs: 65g

Tried this recipe?Mention @Budget101com or tag #Budget101com!

Apple Cider Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting 🍎🧁

These Apple Cider Cupcakes capture the cozy flavors of fall in every bite — fluffy, tender, and infused with real apple cider! Topped with a luscious Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting, they’re the perfect treat for autumn gatherings, bake sales, or just when you crave that nostalgic orchard flavor.

• Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
• 12-cup muffin tin
• Paper liners
• Mixing Bowls
• Piping bag and tip (optional)

• 🧁 Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

• 2 large eggs
• 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup apple cider
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar (packed)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp milk (more as needed for consistency)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat & Prep:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard muffin tin with 12 paper liners.

Cream the Base:

1. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract.

Combine Dry Ingredients:

1. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

Mix Wet & Dry:

1. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and apple cider to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry. Mix on low until just combined — don’t overmix.

Bake:

1. Fill cupcake liners about ⅔ full and bake for 17–19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
2. Cool completely before frosting.

Make the Frosting:

1. While cupcakes cool, beat softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla together until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing until smooth.
2. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until frosting is light and fluffy.

Decorate:

1. Pipe or spread frosting over cooled cupcakes. Optional: garnish with thin apple slices or drizzle with caramel sauce for a bakery-style finish.

📝 Recipe Notes & Bonus Tips

🍏 Flavor Boost: Reduce 1½ cups of apple cider down to 1 cup by simmering — this intensifies the apple flavor.

🍂 Texture Tip: For ultra-moist cupcakes, don’t overbake; check at 17 minutes.

🧁 Make Ahead: Cupcakes can be baked a day in advance and stored unfrosted in an airtight container.

❄️ Storage: Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring to room temp before serving.

🎃 Variation: Add a pinch of nutmeg or cloves for extra fall spice flavor.

Dessert, Snack

American

apple cider cupcakes, apple cupcake recipe, autumn baking, caramel apple cupcakes, cinnamon frosting, cupcake recipe, fall dessert

apple cider

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