These Apple Spice Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting are super moist and have the wonderful flavors that you would expect in a traditional Fall dessert.

The Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting tops these apple spice cupcakes off with a rich and creamy nutty flavor.

Flavors of Fall

These apple spice cupcakes are made using a traditional spice cake recipe and adding bits of apples.  The cupcake is moist, delicious, and full of flavor! 

The brown butter cream cheese frosting dials up the flavor from traditional cream cheese frosting found on spice cakes and cupcakes.

RELATED: Homemade Apple Fritters

Family Will Love These Cupcakes

This recipe makes 24 cupcakes which makes it great for Fall entertaining, get-together’s, and even Thanksgiving dinners. 

They’re easy to make and don’t really take that much active time from start to finish!

Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

I love cream cheese frosting on my cupcakes but I absolutely love making Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting!  It really kicks up the flavor in cupcakes that traditionally use cream cheese frosting.  It adds a nutty flavor to the frosting that is rich, flavorful, and really tasty!

If you’ve never made this type of frosting before, give it a try! 

It may look intimidating but if you take your time to reach the right temp and stir frequently, you can make it!  The key is to brown the butter in a skillet and let it start to foam. 

Once it does foam – you’re close!  Stir frequently until small bits of brown start to form.  Remove from heat right away and pour it into a heat-safe bowl to cool.  It is much easier than you think!
 

RELATED: Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients in Apple Spice Cupcakes

• All Purpose Flour
• Ground Cinnamon
• Baking Powder
• Salt
• Baking Soda
• Ground cloves
• Ground ginger
• Ground nutmeg
• Light brown sugar
• Eggs
• Applesauce
• Vanilla Extract
• Milk
• Molasses
• Apples
• Cream cheese
• Confectioner’s sugar

How to Make Apple Spice Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

To make the apple spice cupcakes start by preheating the oven and lining a muffin tin with 24 liners.

Combine the dry ingredients- Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and all other spices together in a medium bowl.

Blend the wet ingredients- Blend together the eggs, milk, brown sugar, applesauce, vanilla extract, and molasses.

Combine the wet with the dry ingredients- Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients being careful not to overmix.

Add the apples- Stir in the apples until just mixed.

Fill the liners- Fill the liners about 3/4 of the way full.

Bake the cupcakes- Bake for about 15 minutes. The center of the cupcakes should come out clean with the poke of a toothpick.

To make the Brown butter cream cheese frosting prepare the butter ahead of time to save time.

Make the brown butter- Melt butter over medium heat in a skillet and stir frequently until melted.  When the butter starts to foam it is close to browning. 

Continuously stir until small bits of brown form on the bottom of the skillet. Once the butter begins to brown, remove it from the heat and transfer it to a heat-proof container to prevent the butter from burning.

Allow the butter to resolidify in the refrigerator for 1 hour or place it in the freezer for about 30 to 45 minutes to make the process quicker.

Make the frosting- Beat softened cream cheese together with the solid brown butter. Beat in the vanilla extract and add the confectioner’s sugar a little at a time. Add a small amount of milk at a time until the desired consistency for the frosting is reached.

Garnish the cupcakes- After piping these cupcakes, sprinkle a cinnamon-sugar mixture on the frosting to give it a finished look.  It adds more flavor to the cupcake, too!