Maple Syrup Frosted Apple Cupcakes

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Today we are celebrating National Apple Day here in the U.K. Since there are two trees groaning under the weight of their abundant apple harvest in our back garden, an apple bake is needed. And a gift of maple syrup sparked inspiration  resulting in these Maple Syrup Frosted Apple Cupcakes. Finally, the finished result is better than I could imagine.

Three small cakes on a white plate next to a basket full of red fruit.
Maple Syrup Frosted Apple Cupcakes

One apple tree produces Spartan apples. Tennis ball sized, shiny red-green apples that are deliciously crunchy, sweet and ideal for little people hands! While the other apple tree variety is unknown. Sharper in taste than the Spartans, they are similar to a slightly sweeter version of Granny Smith apple. Also they are slightly larger with a similar colour that when rubbed becomes shiny. And fortunately, both apples are great for eating and cooking. Resulting in a combination of both being used for these cupcakes.

A single small cake on a white plate surrounded by the red-green fruit that are used in this recipe.
Maple Syrup Frosted Apple Cupcakes

Apples, The Core Of These Cupcakes:

Unlike Granny Smith apples, both varieties brown easily when sliced/grated and exposed to the air. While the grated apple be tossed in some fresh lemon juice, which would have prevented discolouration, I didn’t want to do this for two reasons. First of all, the lemon flavour would change the cupcake flavour, possibly overpowering the apple and frosting. Also, the lemon juice would have added moisture, resulting in a wetter batter, where the apple may not have kept it’s even distribution. Grating the apples into the cake batter keeps any discolouration to a minimum.

Freshly baked and frosted small cakes in caramel coloured tulip wrappers on a cooling rack.
Maple Syrup Frosted Apple Cupcakes

Preparing the cake batter first and then adding the grated batter works really well. As it ensures each cupcake has plenty of evenly distributed apple within a light, moist crumb. Without the maple syrup frosting, these could easily be served as muffins, in which case the addition of some toasted pecan or walnut pieces would bring added flavour and texture. Tasting these cupcakes with the dreamy frosting means I could not possibly eat them any other way now!

A small cake cut in half to shown even distribution of fruit in the bake.
A Maple Syrup Frosted Apple Cupcake cut in half.

Maple syrup frosting. Just think on those words for a moment!

Initially I had worried that the addition of maple syrup to a buttercream frosting would result in a too sweet topping. Instead, the opposite happened, with the maple syrup adding a very slight smoky, creamy flavour. Resulting in the sweetness of the unflavoured frosting being dumbed down. As a result, the final flavour paired beautifully with the lightly spiced apple cupcake.

Maple syrup swirled frosting on apple cupcakes.

Recipe: Maple Syrup Frosted Apple Cupcakes – makes 12

Cupcake Ingredients:

175g/6oz Unsalted Butter at room temperature

175g/6oz Soft Light Brown Sugar

1/8th tsp Salt – I use Maldon

3 Large Free Range Eggs

1tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey

200g/7oz Plain White Flour

3tsp Baking Powder

1/2tsp Cinnamon

200g/7oz Grated Eating Apple – approximately 3-4 peeled apples

Frosting Ingredients: you may have extra frosting left over

250g/9oz Salted Butter very soft, ideally removed from the fridge the night before

500g/1lb 2oz Sifted Icing Sugar

1tsp Vanilla Extract

2tbsp Maple Syrup – use real maple syrup not maple syrup flavouring

1tbsp Very Hot Water from a recently boiled kettle

Extra Maple Syrup to drizzle over the finished cupcakes

Method: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan, gas mark 4, 350F.

Making And Baking The Cupcakes:

  • First of all, line a 12 hole deep muffin tin with tulip cupcake wrappers, or deep muffin cases.
  • Next in a large bowl add the butter, sugar and salt. Whisk/beat them together until they are very pale and creamy.
  • Add the vanilla extract and all 3 eggs to the bowl. Whisk/beat briefly to partially mix the ingredients, without the risk of them curdling – no more than 30 seconds.
  • Now sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into the bowl. Set the bowl to one side.
  • Working quickly, yet carefully, peel and grate 200 grams of apple.
  • Add the grated apple on top of the flour, in the large bowl and using a spoon mix all the ingredients together, until they are just combined.
  • Next, using a dessert spoon, place a heaped spoonful of cake batter into each of the cupcake wrappers. Finish by dividing any remaining batter between the twelve cases, so that they are all equally filled.
  • Finally place the tin in the middle of the preheated oven and bake the cupcakes for 25-35 minutes.
  • The cupcakes are baked when they spring back from a light touch. Use an inserted skewer to check if they are baked, if it comes out clean they are ready to remove from the oven.
  • As soon as the cupcakes are baked remove them from the oven and leave them in the tin to fully cool, regardless of which type of wrapper/case has been used.
FF Maple Syrup Frosted Apple Cupcakes
The stages of making the cupcake batter, through to filling and baking them.
  • Allow the cupcakes to fully cool before frosting them.

Making The Frosting And Decorating The Cupcakes:

  • First, add the very soft butter to a large bowl.
  • Then sift the icing sugar into the bowl.
  • Next add the vanilla extract, maple syrup and very hot water.
  • Finally whisk the ingredients, starting slowly and increasing in speed, until you have a smooth, creamy, light buttercream.
  • Fit a large piping bag with a large star piping nozzle – Wilton #1M.
  • Fill the piping bag with the maple syrup frosting.
  • Start in the centre of each cupcake pipe swirls, so the entire top of the cupcake is covered and then, continue to pipe, bringing the tip back to the centre and finishing with a star, as the nozzle is pulled away.
  • Continue to pipe frosting until each cupcake is generously topped with frosting.
  • To finish the decoration, drizzle approximately 1/2 teaspoon of maple syrup on to the top of the frosting, allowing the drizzle to drip around the frosting swirls.
FF Maple Syrup Frosted Apple Cupcakes
Maple Syrup Frosted Apple Cupcakes ready to be served.

Maple Syrup Frosted Apple Cupcakes a taste of Autumn in a cupcake! If you enjoy the season of Autumn, or Fall as it’s also known, take a look at this non food related post Autumn The Most Beautiful Season.

Maple Syrup Frosted Apple Cupcakes

Baking these cupcakes certainly makes the most of seasonal fruit. Since there are plenty of apples freely available I will be making again. Another reason to bake them is also so they can be shared. While none of our friends or neighbours expect deliveries of cake, it is an extra special way of sharing our abundance of apples, which are also given away.

Lightly spiced apple cupcakes in tulip wrappers, topped with creamy, piped frosting and a drizzle of maple syrup on a speckled white plate with apples.

If you have enjoyed the recipe for these Maple Syrup Frosted Apple Cupcakes you may also like these:

Autumn Apple Almond Cake

Gluten free large cake topped with flaked almonds. A slice is cut and pulled slightly away from the Autumn inspired cake.
Gluten Free – Autumn Apple Almond Cake

Crazy Caramel Carrot Cake

Crazy Caramel Carrot Cake - a bundt style carrot cake drizzled with caramel and top with pecan nuts.
Crazy Caramel Carrot Cake

Cinnamon Drizzle Apple Walnut Cake Bars

Fruit and nut cake bars drizzled with cinnamon icing and finished with contrasting white sugar nibs.
Cinnamon Drizzle Apple Walnut Cake Bars

I enjoy baking and find the process very relaxing. And creating new recipes is also be very rewarding, especially as I get to share them here, on Feasting Is Fun. Firstly as a personal achievement and also because of the pleasure my baking brings to others. Watching faces full of pleasure as they bite into a delicious treat, big smiles when a friend receives a birthday bake and gracious thanks from a busy, tired family upon receipt of a homemade lasagne, all bring me a deep sense of joy. Life is for sharing and if my small contribution encourages others to do the same, well then, this blog, Feasting is Fun, will have served its purpose.

Do you share your makes and bakes?

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

 

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Sammie

Hi, I'm Sammie and I’m passionate about creating tasty recipes, both sweet and savoury that you can make at home. Every recipe is easy and fun to make and should taste like a feast without the fuss!

6 thoughts on “Maple Syrup Frosted Apple Cupcakes”

  1. I adore maple syrup and so does my family (such a nutritious type of sugar). I have to be gluten free so I will try these with gluten free flour and hopefully all will be well and delicious:)

    1. Hi Carole, I’m glad that you like the recipe. I frequently bake gluten free cakes and I use Doves Farm gluten free white flour with great success. Please let me know how your cakes turn out. X

  2. Thanks Jo, grating the apple is the key. Having everything ready before you peel and grate the apple really helps them to not brown as well. X

  3. These look and sound utterly delicious. I like the idea of grating the apples for an even distribution rather than just chopping them into small chunks, which is what I’ve previously done with apple cupcakes. I’m very tempted to try these out this weekend. Cheers for the recipe 🙂

  4. They’ve come out beautifully – and apple and maple syrup are flavours perfectly balanced to each other x

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