Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Nov 21, 2023 • Tom Jackson

Here is a holiday treat that is guaranteed to leave a lasting impression that is simple to make. Chef Tom shows us how to take a box cake mix and make it your own with his Caramel Apple Cupcakes. He completes it with a rich frosting and apple pie filling. You will have to taste them just to believe how delicious they are.

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE

This recipe starts with a box spice cake mix but produces something that tastes from-scratch: The box mix substitution (melted butter instead of oil, whole milk instead of water) changes the fat structure and protein content of the batter, producing a richer, denser, more moist cupcake than the box instructions produce. The spice cake mix already has cinnamon and nutmeg built in — it's the right starting point for an apple and caramel cupcake, not a compromise.
The Granny Smith apple filling is tart on purpose: Granny Smith apples have a sharp, acidic tartness that balances the caramel buttercream's intense sweetness. A sweeter apple (Honeycrisp, Fuji) would produce a filling that competes with the frosting rather than cutting through it. The lemon juice and zest reinforce this tartness; the pumpkin pie spice and Noble Saltworks Whiskey Barrel Smoked Salt add warmth and complexity that prevents the filling from tasting like straight applesauce.
The salted caramel sauce does two things in this recipe: It's folded into the buttercream as a flavor component AND drizzled on top as a garnish. The same batch of sauce serves both purposes. The Jacobsen Salt in the caramel is what creates the salted caramel effect — the salt amplifies the caramel's sweetness and adds a contrasting savory finish. The bourbon in the apple filling's cornstarch slurry adds depth that no other ingredient provides.
The three-component assembly — apple filling in the core, caramel buttercream piped on top, caramel drizzle over everything — produces a cupcake with three distinct eating experiences: The first bite is all frosting and caramel. The second exposes the filling pocket — the tart apple and warm spice burst against the sweet buttercream. The base is a moist spice cake that holds everything together. Each layer is designed to register separately.

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Tom Jackson

Rated 4.5 stars by 8 users

Cuisine

American

Servings

18

Prep Time

45 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Caramel Apple Cupcakes With Decadent Caramel Buttercream Looking for a holiday dessert that's sure to impress? Are you looking for ways to improve a box cake mix to make your prep time easier? You can get both here! Chef Tom shows how to make Caramel Apple Cupcakes. With a rich frosting and apple pie filling, you won't believe how good these cupcakes are! This is a back pocket type of recipe, so make sure you save the link somewhere. We'll also leave a link to the Salted Caramel Sauce below.

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Ingredients

Cupcake:

1 box spice cake mix
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 eggs
1 cup whole milk

Apple Filling:

2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 lb Granny Smith apples
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp Noble Saltworks Whiskey Barrel Smoked Salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp lemon juice

Salted Caramel Sauce:

1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
3/4 tsp Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp unsalted butter, diced

Caramel Buttercream:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup Salted Caramel Sauce
2 tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt

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Directions

Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 375ºF set up for indirect grilling (diffuser plate installed).
To make the cupcakes, whisk together the spice cake mix, melted butter, eggs and whole milk. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake papers. Pour about three tablespoons of the batter into each of the cups. Transfer to the second shelf of the grill and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
To make the apple filling, melt the butter in a Lodge 12” Cast Iron Skillet over medium heat. Add the apples, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, smoked salt and vanilla extract. Cook until the apples begin to soften, but are not mushy. Combine the cornstarch, bourbon and lemon juice. Stir to dissolve. Pour the slurry into the apple pie filling. Cook until thickened. Remove from heat. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool.
To make the caramel buttercream, place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whip over high speed until the butter has increased in volume and lightened in color, about 3 minutes. Add half of the powdered sugar to the bowl. Whisk over low speed until incorporated. Add the second half and repeat. Add the caramel sauce, vanilla, salt and heavy cream. Whisk until incorporated, then transfer to a piping bag with a star tip.
To make the caramel buttercream, place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whip over high speed until the butter has increased in volume and lightened in color, about 3 minutes. Add half of the powdered sugar to the bowl. Whisk over low speed until incorporated. Add the second half and repeat. Add the caramel sauce, vanilla, salt and heavy cream. Whisk until incorporated, then transfer to a piping bag with a star tip.
Core out the center of each cupcake (I used a pineapple corer). Place one heaping tablespoon of filling in the center. Pipe frosting on top of the cupcakes. Drizzle with caramel sauce.

Recipe Note

Recipe FAQ

What is the history of the caramel apple?
Caramel apples emerged in American food culture in the mid-20th century. A widely cited origin story credits Dan Walker, a Kraft Foods employee, with creating the caramel apple in the 1950s by experimenting with surplus Halloween caramels — discovering that melted caramel dipped over a fresh apple produced a satisfying seasonal treat. The confection became a fixture of fall festivals and carnivals. Over the decades, caramel apple variations expanded dramatically to include chocolate drizzles, nuts, and flavored coatings. This recipe takes the same flavor pairing — tart apple and sweet caramel — and builds it into a cupcake with a caramel buttercream frosting, spiced Granny Smith apple filling, and a salted caramel drizzle.

Why use Granny Smith apples instead of sweeter varieties?
Granny Smith apples are the right choice because of their tartness, not despite it. The caramel buttercream is intensely sweet — 4 cups of powdered sugar plus a third cup of caramel sauce. A sweet apple like Honeycrisp or Fuji would produce a filling that amplifies the sweetness rather than contrasting it. Granny Smith's sharp acidity cuts through the frosting richness and provides a bright flavor contrast in every bite. The lemon juice and zest in the filling reinforce this acidic character further.

Why substitute butter for oil and whole milk for water in the box cake mix?
Direction Step 2 uses melted butter instead of the oil specified on the box and whole milk instead of water. Butter contains water and milk solids that add flavor the box's neutral oil doesn't provide; the fat content is similar, but the flavor is richer. Whole milk's fat and protein content produce a more tender crumb and a slightly richer flavor than plain water. These two substitutions produce a cupcake from a box mix that tastes and feels more like a homemade cake batter.

Why does the apple filling need to cool before assembly?
Direction Step 3 specifies transferring the apple filling to the refrigerator to cool before the cupcakes are assembled. A warm filling softens the piped caramel buttercream on contact — the heat melts the butter in the frosting and causes the piped frosting to slump and lose its shape. The filling must be at least at room temperature, preferably cold, before going into the cored cupcake. Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes; making the filling a day ahead is ideal.

Can I make the components ahead of time?
Yes — all three components improve when made ahead. The salted caramel sauce keeps refrigerated for up to 2 weeks; bring to room temperature before using in the buttercream. The apple filling keeps refrigerated for up to 3 days. The buttercream keeps refrigerated for up to 5 days; bring to room temperature and re-whip briefly before piping. The cupcakes themselves bake in advance and keep at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 days or frozen for 2 months. Assemble on the day of serving.

Can I make this indoors?
5 out of 5 — Perfect for indoor or outdoor cooking. A conventional oven at 375°F produces identical cupcake results. The YS640s at 375°F indirect (diffuser installed) provides a baking environment equivalent to a convection oven. No smoke character is needed or expected in a dessert recipe.

Recipe Highlights

Make the apple filling and caramel sauce before the cupcakes — not after: Both components need cooling time before they're usable: the apple filling needs refrigeration before going into the cored cupcakes (so it doesn't melt the frosting), and the caramel sauce needs to cool before it's folded into the buttercream (hot caramel in buttercream melts the butter). Starting both before the cupcakes go in the grill means they're ready (or close) by the time the cupcakes are baked and cooled.
Whip the butter for the buttercream for the full 3 minutes before adding powdered sugar: Direction Step 4 (the buttercream direction) specifies whipping the softened butter over high speed for about 3 minutes "until the butter has increased in volume and lightened in color." This step aerates the butter before the heavy powdered sugar is added — the lightened, aerated butter produces a fluffier, less dense frosting than unwhipped butter can. Stopping early produces a denser, flatter buttercream.
Core the cupcakes just deep enough for the filling — don't go all the way through: Direction Step 6 uses a pineapple corer to create the filling cavity. The core should reach about two-thirds of the way down the cupcake — deep enough to hold a heaping tablespoon of filling without leaving a thin, fragile base. Going all the way through creates a structurally weak cupcake that collapses when the filling weight is added. If you don't have a pineapple corer, a small melon baller or paring knife works.
Pipe the frosting immediately after filling — don't let the filled cupcakes sit uncovered: Direction Step 6 goes directly from filling to piping to drizzling. Once the filling is in the cored cupcake, the cupcake's structural integrity is reduced — the filling cavity weakens the sides. Piping the buttercream immediately provides structural support that holds the cupcake together. Also, the cold filling will begin to migrate moisture outward through the cake after about 30 minutes; keeping the assembly sequence tight produces the best result.