Applesauce Cupcakes

Applesauce cupcakes will be your new favorite fall dessert. Moist and tender cupcakes are filled with applesauce and cozy spices and topped with a sweet brown butter frosting.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Servings cupcakes

Author Heather

Ingredients

Frosting

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
3 ½ cups (400 g) confectioner's sugar
¼ cup (56 g) whole milk

Cupcakes

¾ cup (190 g) unsweetened applesauce room temperature
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (66 g) vegetable oil
1 large egg room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups (150 g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

Brown butter

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, stirring frequently. Butter will begin to foam and boil.
After 4 to 5 minutes you will see brown flecks appear in the bottom of the pan. Continue to stir until butter is golden and flecks are a medium brown color. Watch closely, butter will brown quickly. The entire process takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove butter from heat and pour into a small bowl. Refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes, or until butter has cooled to room temperature and just solidifies.
While butter cools, prepare cupcakes.

Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners and set aside.
In a large bowl, add wet ingredients: applesauce, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
In a separate bowl, add dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Whisk to remove clumps.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir to combine.
Divide batter between 12 cupcake liners.
Bake for about 18-21 minutes, or until the tops pop back when gently pressed and cake reaches 210F in the center.
Remove pan from oven, allow to rest for 5 minutes to cool slightly, then transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack to bring to room temperature.
While cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting.

Frosting

Add solidified browned butter, vanilla, and salt to a large bowl and whip until creamy and smooth.
Add confectioner's sugar, half at a time alternating with the milk, and mix until combined. (Add more milk as needed to achieve desired consistency)
Beat until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
Pipe or spread frosting onto cooled cupcakes and serve.

Video

Notes

Storage: Cupcakes will keep for 3-4 days at room temperature in a tightly sealed container.
Cool cupcakes: Allow cupcakes to cool completely before removing from paper liners or frosting. If still warm, cupcakes will stick to the paper liners. Buttercream frosting melts between 90-95 degrees, and will melt if frosted onto a warm cupcake.
Want less frosting? Frosting recipe makes enough frosting for tall, dramatic piped frosting (as shown in the photos). For less frosting, cut the frosting portion of the recipe in half.
Top tips: Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking cake, based on reader comments and questions!

Nutrition