These Crumbly Apple Cupcakes Are Worth Every Sweet Bite

Fall isn't just about pumpkin. This may come as a shock to some of you out there, but it's true. I for one could use a break from the pumpkin pie, cake, and cookie spin-offs flooding my social media feeds. At this point, there isn't a food out there that hasn't been touched by pumpkin spice in some way.

This apple crumble cupcake recipe shows a little love for another fall flavor: apple. The apple in the cupcake combines with the sweet brown sugar frosting and crumble to create a mesh of comforting flavors. And the slight crunch of the crumble adds the perfect texture.

In addition to the rich combination of flavors at play, the scent given off while baking is so incredible a candle could be made from it. Not only did my kitchen smell to-die-for, but so did the entire first floor of my house.

While they may seem a little more involved, don't worry. I am notoriously hopeless at piping frosting, but I still managed to get rave reviews on the finished product so believe me, there is nothing to fear. (Do yourself a favor and make extra crumble because they taste so good you're going to want to eat them all before they makes it to the final cupcake stage of completion.)

Apple Crumble Cupcakes

• Prep Time:1 hr
• Cook Time:30 mins
• Total Time:1 hr 30 mins
• Servings:12
• Medium

Ingredients

• Cupcake Ingredients:
• 2 eggs
• 230g flour
• 155g sugar
• 125g unsalted butter room temperature
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 apples
• Crumble Ingredients:
• 75g brown sugar
• 100g salted chilled butter
• 140g flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Icing Ingredients:
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 110g brown sugar
• 250g unsalted butter room temperature
• 200g powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoon whole milk

• Step 1

  Start by preparing the apples. Peel and chop the apples into small 1/2 inch pieces. Place in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover them and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until soft. Strain the water and set aside to cool.

  

• Step 2

  Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs then vanilla extract, mix until combined.

  

• Step 3

  Slowly add the flour until combined. Then add baking powder, cinnamon and salt and gently mix until combined.

  

• Step 4

  Carefully fold in the apple to the mixture. Spoon the mixture into a lined cupcake tin. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

  

• Step 5

  In a large bowl, rub together the butter, flour, cinnamon and vanilla until large chunks of butter have broken up and the mixture is crumbly. Then stir in the brown sugar and combine. Spread the crumble mix thinly onto a lined baking tray and bake for 5-10 minutes until just golden.

  

• Step 6

  Beat together the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract for 5-7 minutes until fully combined and light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time while continuing to beat on a low speed. Add the milk a tablespoon at a time until the icing is light and creamy but stiff enough to hold it’s shape.

  

• Step 7

  Once the cupcakes and crumble are fully cooled, spoon the icing into a piping bag fitted with a nozzle. Don't worry if you don't have a piping bag, a large plastic bag with the bottom corner cut off will do. Spread a small amount of icing on the top of each cupcake and cover completely with the crumble mixture. Using the piping bag, pipe a small swirl of icing on top of the crumble on each cupcake.

  

• Step 8

  Sprinkle the tops of each with some more crumble and eat your heart out!

  

The extra time and effort needed to make these is beyond worth it once you take that first glorious bite.  Breaking away from pumpkin this fall isn't so bad after all. 

Recipe adapted from Zoella