Apple Pie Cupcakes With Whipped Cream Topping
1 h
|
intermediate
|
vegetarian
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
All-American apple pie meets a fluffy cupcake, with a moist sour cream crumb hiding warm cinnamon Honeycrisp apples and a cloud of lightly sweet vanilla whipped cream.
Perfect for fall parties, bake sales, or your Thanksgiving dessert bar, these handhelds hit that cozy pie flavor without fussing with crust and they disappear fast.
Ingredients (12 servings)
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Ingredients for the Cupcakes:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour all-purpose flour 0.41 lb
- 1½ tsp baking powder baking powder 0.25 oz
- ½ tsp baking soda baking soda 0.08 oz
- ½ tsp salt salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon ground cinnamon 0.09 oz
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened unsalted butter 4 oz
- 1 cup granulated sugar granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs large eggs 2 ct
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 1 tsp
- ½ cup sour cream sour cream 4 oz
- ½ cup whole milk whole milk 4 fl oz
Ingredients for the Apple Pie Filling:
- 3 medium Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, diced Honeycrisp apples 1.5 lb medium
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter unsalted butter 1 oz
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed light brown sugar 1.72 oz
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon ground cinnamon 0.09 oz
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ground nutmeg 0.04 oz
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch cornstarch 0.29 oz
Ingredients for the Whipped Cream Topping:
- 1 cup heavy cream heavy cream 8 fl oz
- ¼ cup powdered sugar powdered sugar 1.1 oz
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 1 tsp
- ground cinnamon (for dusting) ground cinnamon 0.09 oz
How to Make Apple Pie Cupcakes With Whipped Cream Topping
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Prep the pan and oven
Heat the oven to 350 F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
Bring eggs to room temperature and make sure the butter is properly softened so it dents easily when pressed.
Chill the mixing bowl and whisk for the whipped cream in the fridge for later.
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Cook the apple pie filling
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat, then add the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Cook, stirring often, until the apples are glossy and just tender with a little bite, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water to make a smooth slurry, then pour it into the skillet and simmer until thick and shiny, about 30 to 60 seconds.
Spread the filling on a cool plate or sheet pan and chill until completely cool so it does not melt the whipped cream later.
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Whisk the dry ingredients
In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until evenly combined.
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Cream butter and sugar
In a stand mixer with the paddle or with a hand mixer, beat softened butter with granulated sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
Scrape the bowl and paddle so there are no butter streaks hiding at the bottom.
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Add eggs, vanilla, and sour cream
Beat in the eggs one at a time on medium speed until fully incorporated and the mixture looks smooth and creamy.
Mix in vanilla, then blend in sour cream just until combined.
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Combine wet and dry
Add half the dry ingredients and mix on low until a few flour streaks remain, then pour in the milk and mix briefly.
Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix on low just until no dry spots remain, then stop to avoid tough cupcakes.
Let the batter rest 5 minutes to relax bubbles for a more even crumb.
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Portion and bake
Divide the batter among liners, filling each about two thirds full for a gentle dome.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the pan once, until the tops spring back and a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to a rack to cool completely.
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Core and fill
Use an apple corer or a small paring knife to remove a 1 inch plug from the center of each cupcake without cutting through the bottom.
Spoon in 1 to 1.5 teaspoons cooled apple filling per cupcake until just level with the surface.
Trim the cake plugs and cap the holes if you like a cleaner look.
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Whip the cream
In the chilled bowl, whip heavy cream on medium speed to soft peaks, then add powdered sugar and vanilla.
Continue whipping to medium-stiff peaks that hold clean lines but still look silky.
Keep the bowl in the fridge if the kitchen runs hot so the cream stays stable.
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Top and finish
Pipe or dollop the whipped cream generously onto each cupcake.
Dust lightly with ground cinnamon, and add a drizzle of caramel or a few chopped toasted pecans if you are feeling sassy.
Substitutions
- Sour cream -> Full-fat Greek yogurt
- Greek yogurt keeps the crumb tender and moist with the same tang, and it bakes up slightly lighter while still giving that plush, bakery-style texture.
- Cornstarch -> Arrowroot starch
- Arrowroot thickens the apple filling cleanly and glossy at the same ratio, and the flavor stays pure without any cereal notes.
- Honeycrisp apples -> Granny Smith or Pink Lady
- Granny Smith brings a tart pop that balances sweetness and stays pleasantly firm, while Pink Lady adds perfume and a touch more sweetness for a rounder apple flavor.
Tips
- Cool the filling completely
- Spread the hot apples on a sheet pan to rapid-cool so the whipped cream does not deflate and the cupcake centers do not get soggy.
- Creaming is your lift
- Beat butter and sugar until the mixture looks noticeably paler and fluffy, because that trapped air is what teams up with leaveners for a tender rise.
- Measure flour like a pro
- Fluff, spoon, and level your flour or weigh it to avoid packing the cup, since extra flour makes dry, dense cupcakes that no amount of whipped cream can save.
- Stabilize if you need staying power
- For longer hold, beat in 2 tablespoons mascarpone with the cream or bloom 1 teaspoon gelatin in 1 tablespoon water and stream it in at soft peaks for a bakery-stable swirl.
- Core cleanly without blowouts
- Leave a quarter inch of cake at the bottom when coring so the filling stays put and the cupcake does not leak.
- Portion with a scoop
- Use a level ice cream scoop for even cupcakes that bake uniformly and finish at the same time.
- Chill, then serve
- Once topped, refrigerate 20 to 30 minutes to set the cream, then serve so the texture hits that sweet spot of cool topping and soft crumb.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 510 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 8 | g |
| Total Fat | 25 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 64 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- Why did my cupcakes sink in the middle?
- They were likely underbaked or the batter was overmixed, so bake until the center springs back and stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears.
- My batter curdled after adding eggs, what now?
- Add a spoonful of the dry mixture and beat briefly to bring the emulsion back together, then continue with the recipe.
- How do I keep the whipped cream from deflating?
- Start with a chilled bowl and cream, whip to medium-stiff peaks, and keep the cupcakes cool, or stabilize the cream with mascarpone or a touch of gelatin.
- Can I use store-bought apple pie filling?
- Yes, chop it finer so it fits the cores and simmer briefly if it is loose so it thickens enough not to soak into the cake.
- How far in advance can I make these?
- Bake and core the cupcakes up to 2 days ahead and store airtight, make the filling up to 2 days ahead, and whip and pipe the cream within 4 hours of serving for best texture.
- How can I make them less sweet?
- Reduce the granulated sugar in the batter by 2 tablespoons and use a tart apple like Granny Smith, then keep the cinnamon dusting light.
Serving Suggestions
A swirl of warm salted caramel and a handful of toasted pecans take these cupcakes straight into cozy pie-meets-bakery territory with extra crunch.
A splash of bourbon or Calvados in the apple filling or the whipped cream adds grown-up depth, and a cup of strong coffee or spiced black tea makes the whole moment sing.
More pairings:
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