Apple Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

Written By Grace Markey

These delicious fall treats were the last thing I made before heading to college. So delicious that you could eat it without icing, but using the buttercream to create an apple design was a sweet treat. Full video on my TikTok (linked on homepage)!!

For the Cupcakes:

  • 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup granulated sugar + 4 teaspoons for the filling

  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup butter

  • 2 eggs

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup whole milk

  • 3 tablespoons sour cream

  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for the filling

For the Icing:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter

  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar

  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream

  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.

  2. Whisk together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt).

  3. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

  4. Combine one egg at a time, then add in the vanilla.

  5. Alternate adding the heavy cream and sour cream with the dry ingredients.

  6. Once combined, fill cupcake liners about half-full with batter.

  7. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top of the batter, then top with more batter.

  8. Add more cinnamon and sugar to the top of the cupcakes.

  9. Put in the oven for about 20 minutes. You know cupcakes are done when a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean!

  10. For the frosting, beat the butter until it is light and fluffy. Then, combine the powdered sugar and cinnamon. Once that is incorporated, add the heavy cream and vanilla extract.

Optional Apple Decoration:

To create the cute apple design, dye your frosting red. Then, pipe your icing into a swirl. Using an icing tip is optional, but I like the dimension it adds. Next, add a small pretzel stick to act as the stem. You can substitute this for anything you see fit! Finally, use a bit of icing that is dyed green to pipe on a small leaf. Enjoy!

Chapter Notes: Why This Works

There is a lot of science behind baking, but what I find myself experimenting with the most is ratios. Here is a little breakdown of why I chose to do certain things in this recipe:

  • Most cupcakes I make only use one egg; however, for this recipe, I wanted a richer batter. Adding an extra egg allows for greater moisture and more structure (this makes decorating easier). This improvement in texture is due to the protein in the egg and is why some people add an extra egg to a box cake mix!

  • Whipping the butter is something I decided to do to combat some of the downsides of adding an extra egg. The air pockets created when whipping butter can help retain the moisture from the extra egg.

  • Sour cream may seem like an odd addition to a sweet treat, but it can be really beneficial in the flavor and moisture departments! Sour cream is high in fat, allowing for a richer flavor. Additionally, the acid from the sour cream tenderizes gluten strands, resulting in a softer crumb!

Grace Markey