Apple Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
Soft cupcakes with cinnamon sugar layers inside and a piped apple butter frosting.
Equipment
- 12 cup muffin pan
- Paper cupcake liners
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- piping bag with large star tip
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp sour cream
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 6 tbsp apple butter for the batter
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 ½ tbsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup granulated sugar for the cinnamon sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened, for the frosting
- ½ cup shortening
- 4 cup powdered sugar
- 4 tbsp apple butter for the frosting
- 12 apple chips for decorating, optional
Instructions
Cooking
- Prep the pan. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Stir the cinnamon into 1/4 cup sugar for the layers.
- Mix the batter. Cream the butter and 3/4 cup sugar for 3 to 4 minutes until fluffy, then beat in the sour cream, vanilla, and egg whites. Alternate the flour mixture with the apple butter and milk until the batter is smooth.
- Fill the liners. Layer batter and cinnamon sugar twice in each liner, finishing with batter so each cup is about half full.
- Bake. Bake for 17 to 19 minutes until a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs, then cool on a wire rack until fully cool, about 30 minutes.
- Frost. Beat the butter and shortening smooth, then beat in the powdered sugar and apple butter until fluffy. Pipe onto the cooled cupcakes and finish with cinnamon sugar.
Notes
Substitutions: Use all butter in the frosting if you prefer, but the swirls will be softer.
Tips: Fill each liner only halfway and cool the cupcakes fully before frosting.
Storage: Keep frosted cupcakes airtight at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerated up to 4 days. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes up to 3 months.