These apple cider cupcakes taste just like Fall with hints of brown sugar and cinnamon. They’re a seasonal favorite of mine and I look forward to making them every Fall.

They’re topped with a delicious spiced buttercream frosting and filled with a perfectly sweet apple pie filling.

This really packs these cupcakes with delicious apple flavor and adds great texture. What more could you want in apple cider cupcakes, am I right?!

The Apple Cider Cupcake Base

This apple cider cupcake recipe is based on my cinnamon cupcake recipe. I upped the ante by adding in some ground nutmeg and ginger, and of course some fresh apple cider!

This gives them a delicious apple flavor without being too overpowering.

My biggest tip when making these apple cider cupcakes is to be sure not to overmix the batter. Overmixed batter can lead to dense, chewy cupcakes.

By mixing the batter just until the ingredients are combined you are guaranteed tender, soft cupcakes.

The Spiced Buttercream Frosting

While the cupcake base itself is wonderful, a cupcake isn’t a cupcake without some delicious frosting.

I decided a spiced buttercream would be perfect for these apple cider cupcakes. It uses the same spices that are in the cupcakes and the filling, which gives the cupcakes a wonderful cohesive flavor.

When you’re frosting a batch of cupcakes, you don’t need a ton of frosting. To make just the right amount, I modified my American buttercream to make a 1/4 batch.

Once I was happy with the volume of frosting this recipe makes, it was time to figure out the perfect amount of spices.

I love the amounts listed in the recipe below, but you can add more or less spice to suit your palette.

Substitutions and Swaps – Apple Cider Cupcakes

These apple cider cupcakes use quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have all of them on hand. Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered.

Below are some swaps and substitutions that you can make:

• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this frosting recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
• Egg Whites – You can use 2 whole eggs in place of the egg whites if needed, or if you have an egg allergy you can use 2 flaxseed eggs or 1/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce.
• Brown Sugar – I prefer using light brown sugar in this recipe, but dark brown sugar would work too. I do not recommend reducing the amount or type of sugar as it will change the texture of these cupcakes.
• All Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a gluten free flour blend or cake flour if that’s all you have on hand.
• Ground Cinnamon & Spices – There really aren’t substitutes for the spices in this recipe! If you don’t have ground ginger or nutmeg on hand you can omit them, but ground cinnamon is a must.
• Sour Cream – You can also use full fat yogurt, whole milk, buttermilk, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if you’re dairy free.
• Apple Filling – The apple filling in this recipe is delicious, but if you’re short on time you can skip filling these cupcakes or use pre-made apple pie filling.

Tips for Making The Best Apple Cider Cupcakes:

• Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
• Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
• Mix your cupcake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cupcakes are tender and fluffy.
• One batch of batter can also be used to make one 9×13-inch apple cider sheet cake. Bake it at 325F for 33-38 minutes.
• Make these apple cider cupcakes vegan or dairy free! Use your favorite type of dairy free milk to replace the sour cream and use vegan butter sticks in place of the butter.

Making These Cupcakes in Advance & Storage Tips

You can make these apple cider cupcakes in advance. If stored unfrosted and unfilled in an airtight container, they can last for 2 days at room temperature or up to a week in the fridge.

These cupcakes can also last up to 3 months in the freezer. If you plan to freeze them, wait to fill and frost them until they’re thawed.

You can also make your frosting and filling up to a week ahead of time or save any leftovers. Leftover filling can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week and leftover frosting will last in the fridge for up to a month.

Be sure to give the frosting a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

Frosted cupcakes shouldn’t sit out at room temperature for more than a day. Store them in the fridge in an airtight container once they’re frosted.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you make this recipe for apple cider cupcakes I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a rating and comment below.

Tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets so that I can see your amazing creations on social media.

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