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Light, soft, cinnamon sponges with apple, golden delicious crumble, cinnamon buttercream, and even more crumble. Apple crumble cupcakes, perfect for Autumn.

WELCOME TO SEPTEMBER! Even though Autumn doesn’t technically start until late September, I still say its Autumn now. Therefore, APPLE CRUMBLE CUPCAKES are now a thing on my blog.

I posted the cake version of this last year, apple crumble cake, and its always been a hit. The cake was a beautiful marriage of soft, light sponge, with cinnamon, and the delicious baked apple. These cupcakes? The PERFECT smaller version.

Apples

When baking these, I was worried that the apple in the cupcakes wouldn’t be baked through enough, so I made the pieces a little smaller than the cake version, and it was ideal. The apple still has a ‘bite’ so that its not just mush, and it helps make sure the cupcakes bake through properly.

Coating the apple in a little brown sugar, reduces the tartness of the apple slightly, and gives it a wonderfully delicious flavour. Adding that with the cinnamon, is deeeeeelightful.

I do find it important to use cooking apples when baking with them because you still want the apple to have some texture, and they are just perfect for it. If you use eating apples, they may go a little soft and mushy after baking. 

I have recently started to love baked fruit.. because originally, I used to hate cooked fruit. Something about the texture would really get to me, but honestly? These cupcakes and my apple crumble cake have changed that. Baked enough to make the apple soft enough to eat, but not so mushy that the cupcake can’t even bake.

Cupcakes

In complete honesty, the cupcake mixture is literally the cake mixture halved. The cake version worked so well, that I didn’t want to mess with it. However, because of this, it did produce more that my usual 12 cupcake batches. You can try and reduce it if you like, but I like the extra cupcakes… who doesn’t?!

  • Butter – As always, for a sponge I use either room temperature unsalted butter in block form, or I use a baking spread.  Both work really well for cake sponges. 
  • Sugar – For this recipe I used light brown soft sugar because it suits the flavour and idea of the apples and cinnamon perfectly, but you can use regular caster sugar or golden caster sugar if you prefer 
  • Eggs – Again, I tend to use medium eggs all of the time now 
  • Flour – It’s important to use self raising flour in the mixture to get a good rise and texture to your cupcakes 
  • Flavour – I add a little ground cinnamon to the cake mix. The cupcakes have the perfect amount of cinnamon for me, but you can add some more if you wished. The extra sugar can be a worry for some, but it helps the apple bake perfectly.

Crumble

The cupcakes are topped with crumble mixture which gives the cupcakes an amazing taste as well as texture. Then, topped with a lightly hinted cinnamon and vanilla buttercream, and even more crumble goodness makes these cupcakes utterly irresistible and completely moreish!

  • Butter – For the crumble I find it best to use actual butter compared to a baking spread
  • Sugar – I use caster sugar by habit, but you can use light brown sugar to match with the cupcakes if you fancied
  • Flour – plain flour is best here, but using self raising isn’t the end of the world

Decoration 

For the frosting I used a simple American buttercream frosting which was flavoured with ground cinnamon and vanilla. I wanted a little sweetness from the vanilla to come through, but I also though it may be nice to have a slightly cinnamon based frosting to go with the cupcake mix quite well. 

I use block unsalted butter for buttercream ONLY… you don’t want to use a baking spread for this bit. Beat it like crazy, add in the icing sugar, cinnamon and vanilla and mix until light and fluffy. I pipe this onto my cupcakes, then sprinkle on some leftover baked crumble (which I baked on a tray at 180ºc for about 15-20 minutes) and sprinkles, but both of these are optional. 

Tips & Tricks 

  • I recommend using Iced Jems baking cups and a 2D closed star piping tip to decorate
  • When buying the apples, buy above the 250g as thats the chopped and peeled weight. You need to go for about 400g worth unpeeled, to make sure that its enough
  • Some oven temperatures can vary even if you set it to the ‘correct temperature’. You can tell if a cake is well and truly done by testing them with a skewer, and seeing if it comes out clean. HOWEVER, you need to also listen to the cake, if its still making a crackling/bubbling sound then its not quite done. Keep baking till that sound goes away!
  • I really would recommend using COOKING apples for this rather than regular eating apples because of the length of time the cake is baking for. If you used regular apples, there is a chance they’d turn to mush, and then the cake wouldn’t bake well either. The lovely bright green cooking apples are the ones you’re after!
  • You could also use a ready made crumble mix if you like as well as it does save time, but you’ll still need to bake it on top of the cake in the same way, and bake the spare in the same way as well!
  • This cake will last in a container for up to 3 days at room temp

Enjoy your Autumn everyone, and these cupcakes as well! Enjoy! 

Apple Crumble Cupcakes!

Light, soft, cinnamon sponges with apple, golden delicious crumble, cinnamon buttercream, and even more crumble. Apple crumble cupcakes, perfect for Autumn.
Print Pin Rate
Category: Dessert
Type: Cupcakes
Keyword: Apple, Crumble
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 12 Cupcakes
Author: Jane's Patisserie

Ingredients

Cupcake Ingredients

  • 250 g cooking apples (peeled + chopped weight)
  • 150 g unsalted butter
  • 150 g light brown sugar (+25g extra)
  • 150 g self raising flour
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Crumble Ingredients

  • 120 g plain flour
  • 60 g caster sugar
  • 60 g unsalted butter

Buttercream Ingredients

  • 200 g unsalted butter (room temp)
  • 400 g icing sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Prep

  • Preheat your oven to 180ºc/160ºfan and line a 12 hole muffin tray with large cupcake cases/muffin cases or 12 baking cups.
  • Peel and core the apples, cube the apples into about 1cm (small) pieces.
  • Put the apples into a bowl, and cover with the 25g of light brown sugar. Mix it up so all the apple pieces are covered and leave to the side.

Crumble

  • Make the crumble mixture. Rub together the sugar, flour and butter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs, leave to the side for now.

Cupcakes

  • Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the flour, eggs, and cinnamon and beat until smooth. Fold through the apple mixture and spoon into your cupcake cases. Because of the apple, you will probably get more than 12 out of the batch.
  • Sprinkle on a layer of the crumble mixture (only about 1/2cm worth per cupcake) and then bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until baked through!
  • Once baked, transfer to a rack to cool completely. After they’re out of the oven, sprinkle some of the spare crumble mixture onto a baking tray and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until its lightly coloured (180ºc). Leave the crumble mixture to cool.

Buttercream

  • Beat the butter for a few minutes until really light and supple. Add in the icing sugar 1/3 at a time and beat fully after each incorporation.
  • Add in the cinnamon, vanilla and 1-2tbsps of boiling water and beat for about 5 minutes until really light and fluffy.

Topping

  • Using a 2D closed star piping tip, pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes. Sprinkle on some of the cooked crumble mixture and maybe an extra sprinkle of cinnamon, and some sprinkles and enjoy!

Notes

  • I recommend using Iced Jems baking cups and a 2D closed star piping tip to decorate!
  • When buying the apples, buy above the 250g as thats the chopped and peeled weight. You need to go for about 400g worth unpeeled, to make sure that its enough!
  • Some oven temperatures can vary even if you set it to the ‘correct temperature’. You can tell if a cake is well and truly done by testing them with a skewer, and seeing if it comes out clean. HOWEVER, you need to also listen to the cake, if its still making a crackling/bubbling sound then its not quite done. Keep baking till that sound goes away!
  • I reeeeally would recommend using COOKING apples for this rather than regular eating apples because of the length of time the cake is baking for. If you used regular apples, there is a chance they’d turn to mush, and then the cake wouldn’t bake well either. The lovely bright green cooking apples are the ones you’re after!
  • You could also use a ready made crumble mix if you like as well as it does save time, but you’ll still need to bake it on top of the cake in the same way, and bake the spare in the same way as well!
  • This cake will last in an airtight container for up to 3 days!

Find my other recipes on my Recipes Page!

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J x

© Jane’s Patisserie. All images & content are copyright protected. Do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words and credit me, or link back to this post for the recipe.

37 Comments

  1. Shannon on October 8, 2022 at 10:57 am

    I would like to try this bake but by adding blackberries too. Do I need to change anything within the recipe if adding blackberries too?

    Thank you

    • Jane's Patisserie on October 13, 2022 at 2:57 pm

      Hiya! You would need to end up with the same total weight of fruit. Hope this helps! x



  2. Vikki on June 22, 2022 at 10:57 am

    If i were to make these but instead of cupcakes put mixture into the doughnut moulds would this affect the cooking time

  3. Juliet on October 30, 2021 at 6:19 pm

    5 stars
    Wow! These are so delicious, lovely and moist, tasty, and the crumble gives a lovely crunch. I used stork as I do with most of Janes recipes where suggested as I find it does give a lighter sponge and these were so light and moist. Will definitely be making again.

  4. Mandy Booth on October 22, 2021 at 3:20 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Jane , love this recipe so much always enjoyed by us all , could I ask do you think it would work with rhubarb instead of apple .. thanks x

  5. ANN HORROCKS on August 7, 2021 at 5:00 pm

    Hi
    Could you please advise if I could freeze these. Would be ideal if I could make a batch and freeze some.

    • Haydn Finnerty on September 20, 2021 at 5:42 pm

      4 stars
      Loved making these, used cooking apples, but couldn’t taste any apple flavour in the bake 🙁 did I do something wrong?



  6. Sabrina on March 23, 2021 at 6:33 pm

    Hi Jane,
    Could I use 2 large eggs instead of the 3 medium please or would I have to adjust something?

    • Jane's Patisserie on March 26, 2021 at 1:46 pm

      Hello! No I would use 3 large and up the rest of the ingredients to 175g xx



  7. Sabrina on March 23, 2021 at 8:22 am

    Hi Jane,
    I only have large eggs, shall I just use 2 and leave everything the same please.
    Thank you

    • Jane's Patisserie on March 27, 2021 at 11:28 am

      Hello! I would use three large eggs but make the rest of the ingredients (flour, butter, sugar) 175g x



  8. Pip on November 15, 2020 at 11:18 am

    4 stars
    Loved these and easy to make. My elderly mum fancied cake apples and cinnamon so these were ideal choice! I used much more cinnamon in the cake and omitted the crumble as mum only eats very small amounts, she loved them! I made the Apple pieces about 0.5cm and didn’t go soggy. Definitely will make again.

  9. Emma on September 21, 2020 at 7:35 pm

    Do you think it really needs cinnamon in it? I don’t have any in but really want to make them but I don’t want it to really ruin the flavour?

    • Jane's Patisserie on September 22, 2020 at 9:10 am

      I personally think they are best with the cinnamon, but it won’t be the worst without!



    • Kim Lodge on May 1, 2023 at 5:28 pm

      Hi! Is there any way this could be done with pineapple?
      I’m desperate to make a cake with pineapple, or coconut sponge with pineapple butter cream!



  10. Claire on July 19, 2020 at 10:36 pm

    5 stars
    Had some cooking apples to use up in the fridge, and hubby loves crumble so this just cried out to be made today. Just beautiful. Really tasted like Apple crumble. I only had large eggs so increased the mix slightly to 175g. Had to bake about 5 mins extra too? The cinnamon was just the right amount. Didn’t have spinkles on but the crumble pieces were perfect. Another of your recipes I will be making again.

  11. Sarah on May 24, 2020 at 8:28 pm

    5 stars
    These are amazing, Parents seem to be stealing them all from me!

  12. Mandy Turner on May 21, 2020 at 12:31 pm

    My daughter keeps asking to make apple muffins and these sound divine, can I use regular apples like Braeburn or does it have to be cooking apples?

    • Jane's Patisserie on May 21, 2020 at 4:04 pm

      For the cupcakes it’s better than the traybake/cake version of this recipe, but they can still go a lot mushier in these which is why I recommend baking/cooking apples!



  13. Sandra on August 14, 2019 at 11:44 am

    Hi Jane. We don’t have selfraising flour in Germany. How can I substitute it? Thank you x

    • Jane's Patisserie on August 14, 2019 at 2:34 pm

      Use plain flour with 1.5tsp baking powder instead!



  14. Paula on October 2, 2018 at 4:08 pm

    Hi Jane! I love this recipe but I’m not a massive fan of buttercream so do you think this could work in a traybake? I have seen your cookie bar recipe but this one is definitely my favourite! If it could work as as traybake what size tin do you think would be best? Thank you for your help! Paula

    • Jane's Patisserie on October 3, 2018 at 10:29 am

      Hiya! I’m afraid I haven’t tried this exact recipe as a traybake – but in general I would say one batch of cupcakes makes an 8″ round tin cake. So you could maybe double it, or use the Cake version and bake in a 9×13″ tin?! Keeping an eye on the timings though as I’m not 100% certain of them.



  15. Helen Webb on September 24, 2017 at 9:06 am

    I love the sound of these, and the big cake version! Have you ever tried the same recipe in a loaf tin?

    • Jane's Patisserie on September 24, 2017 at 4:12 pm

      I haven’t unfortunately – but it’s definitely worth a try!



  16. Claire on September 13, 2017 at 1:23 pm

    Hi Jane!!
    These look amazing! Can you grate the apple?

    • Jane's Patisserie on September 13, 2017 at 4:32 pm

      The apple would be too small in my opinion – chunks would be better.



    • Kate on November 22, 2021 at 3:03 pm

      Could I put some dried fruit in these along with the apple?



  17. Victoria - Foodie for Thought on September 8, 2017 at 9:44 am

    These look fab Jane!

  18. Ilze on September 4, 2017 at 9:43 pm

    Yummm! I should try this recipe as soon as my kithcen will be ready!!!

  19. Kelly | Maverick Baking on September 4, 2017 at 10:22 am

    Yessssss girl, get Autumn in full swing! These look lush, apple crumble is my deathbed dessert!

    • Jane's Patisserie on September 4, 2017 at 4:19 pm

      Thank youuu, Kelly! x



    • Louise on April 29, 2020 at 8:25 pm

      Hi Jane . I’ve made theses but I’m not keen on the sponge being bit soggy where the Apple chunks are is there anyway I can stop the sogginess? Part from that love the taste 😊



    • Jane's Patisserie on May 3, 2020 at 7:26 pm

      Hiya! I’m not sure really – You can try maybe a slightly higher temp? But because of the moisture from the fruit, it will always be a little softer there!



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