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Apple Cider Cupcakes

Apple cider cupcakes with tender crumb and cinnamon-spiced flavor, baked at 350°F and topped with swirled apple cider cream cheese frosting. Reduced apple cider adds a concentrated caramel-cinnamon aroma, finished with a caramel drizzle.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 18 cupcakes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For apple cider cupcakes
  • 1.75 cup flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.33 cup apple cider reduced from 3/4 cup to 1/3 cup, plus reserve 3 tbsp for frosting
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
For apple cider cream cheese frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 0.25 cup butter
  • 0.1875 cup apple cider reduced to about 3 tablespoons
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
Caramel for drizzling
  • 1 caramel

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Reduce cider and prep
  1. Simmer apple cider until reduced to 1/3 cup, then cool completely; reserve the extra 3 tbsp for the frosting.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake tin with paper liners.
Make the cupcake batter
  1. Beat butter and brown sugar together until well combined, then beat in eggs one at a time followed by vanilla, reduced cider, and sour cream.
  2. Fold in the flour mixture (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt) until no dry streaks remain.
  3. Spoon batter into liners, filling each about 2/3 full, then bake for 18–20 minutes until the tops spring back lightly.
Frost and finish
  1. Cool cupcakes completely before frosting so the frosting stays smooth and holds its shape.
  2. Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth, then beat in reduced cider, powdered sugar, and cinnamon until thick and pipeable.
  3. Pipe swirls of frosting on the cooled cupcakes and drizzle with caramel.

Notes

For the cleanest frosting swirls, make sure the cupcakes are fully cooled and the reduced cider is cool before mixing. Store cupcakes covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; freeze unfrosted cupcakes up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge, then frost). For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and butter; texture will be slightly softer but still pipeable.