Fall Cupcakes with Apple Cider and Cinnamon Buttercream

You will want to try these fluffy apple cider fall cupcakes with creamy vanilla cinnamon buttercream frosting. You will love baking with the kids and making these super easy fall cupcakes. Cute sprinkles with sugar leaves give the cupcakes the look of fall and are perfect for Thanksgiving.

These fall cupcakes start with a box of yellow cake mix and a cup of reduced apple cider, so you get warm apple flavor without making batter from scratch.

The cinnamon buttercream on top is the part everyone asks about. It is soft, a little spicy, and it holds a swirl beautifully.

Add sugar leaves and a few sprinkles, and you have a tray of fall cupcakes that look like they came from a bakery. They are wonderful for Thanksgiving, fall birthdays, and after-school baking with the kids.

I have always loved to bake cupcakes with my kids that reflect the holiday. Thanksgiving is no exception. But if you are like I am, you do not have the time to make a cupcake batter from scratch.

That is why this recipe starts with a simple yellow cake mix. Start with a simple box of Cake Mix and an easy Cinnamon Butter Cream frosting.

Why You Will Love These Fall Cupcakes

• Cake mix shortcut. One box, no measuring flour, no mixer full of dry ingredients on a busy afternoon.
• Real apple cider flavor. Reducing the cider concentrates it, so you taste fall in every bite instead of plain yellow cake.
• Kid-friendly. Little hands can stir, scoop, and decorate without much help.
• Make ahead. Bake the cupcakes one day, frost them the next, and your Thanksgiving dessert is handled.
• They look impressive. A swirl of cinnamon buttercream and a candy leaf does all the work for you.

Why Cupcakes Are the Best Way to Teach Kids to Bake

I have always baked cupcakes with my kids for the holidays, and Thanksgiving is no exception. Cupcakes are the right size for little hands. Each step is short, so a beginner can finish one and feel proud instead of tired.

Decorating is where the fun really starts. Hand them a bowl of sprinkles and let them make their own little works of art.

Pro tip: Give each child their own small bowl of frosting and a butter knife. It saves your piping bag and keeps the peace.

Ingredients You Will Need

• Duncan Hines Classic Yellow cake mix, one box
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup light olive oil, or vegetable oil
• Apple cider, 2 cups, reduced down to 1 cup
• Eggs and oil, as listed on the back of your cake mix box
• 1 cup Butter (2 sticks), softened, for the buttercream
• 4 to 6 cups Powdered sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Ground cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons Milk or heavy cream, a splash at a time to loosen the frosting
• Fall sprinkles and candy sugar leaves for decorating

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Spice cake mix works beautifully here if you want more warmth. The cinnamon buttercream was made for it.
• Apple juice can stand in for cider, though the flavor is lighter and sweeter.
• Short on time? Skip the reducing step and make the mix exactly as the box says. You will still have lovely cupcakes with cinnamon frosting.
• Cream cheese frosting is a good swap for the buttercream. Use 8 ounces of softened cream cheese in place of half the butter.
• Salted butter is fine. Just leave out any added salt.

Are you hosting Thanksgiving this Year?

Check out my 20 Tips for Hosting a Stress-Free Thanksgiving post. Stay organized and plan well to have fun and enjoy the day.

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Equipment Needed

• Small saucepan, for reducing the cider
• Muffin Pan and Paper Liners
• Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
• Cookie scoop, for even cupcakes
• Wire cooling rack
• Piping bag with a large star tip, or a butter knife

How to Make Fall Cupcakes with Apple Cider

Step 1: Reduce the apple cider
Pour 2 cups of apple cider into a small saucepan and simmer until it measures 1 cup, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let it cool completely before it goes anywhere near your batter.
Pro tip: Do this the night before and keep it in the fridge. It is the only slow step in the whole recipe.

Step 2: Mix the batter
Make the cake mix as the box directs, but use your cooled cider in place of the water. Mix for about 2 minutes, just until smooth. Overmixing makes cupcakes tough.

Step 3: Fill and bake
Line your pan and fill each liner about two-thirds full. A cookie scoop keeps them all the same size. Bake at the temperature on your box, usually 350 degrees F, for 16 to 18 minutes. They are done when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Check at 14 minutes with a clean toothpick.

Step 4: Cool completely
Move the cupcakes to a wire rack and let them cool completely, about 45 minutes.
Pro tip: Warm cupcakes will melt buttercream right off the top. Wait it out.

Step 5: Make the cinnamon buttercream
Beat the softened butter until it is pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, then the cinnamon and vanilla. Add milk one teaspoon at a time until it pipes smoothly without drooping.

Step 6: Frost and decorate
Pipe a swirl with a large star tip, then add sprinkles right away while the frosting is still soft. Finish each one with a sugar leaf set at a slight angle.

Fall Cupcake Decorating Ideas

The frosting swirl is your canvas. Here are the decorations we come back to every year.

• Sugar leaves and acorns. The easiest way to make a cupcake look like fall. One per cupcake is plenty.
• Cinnamon sugar rim. Dip the edge of the frosting in cinnamon sugar for a sparkly border.
• Caramel drizzle. Add a thin zigzag of warm caramel right before serving.
• Crushed graham or gingersnap crumbs. Sprinkled over the top, they look like fallen leaves.
• Mini pretzel stems. Push one in the center with two candy leaves for a little tree.
• Pumpkin candies. Perfect for a Thanksgiving table or a fall birthday.

Pro tip: Set out small bowls of three or four toppings and let everyone build their own. Nobody argues over a cupcake they designed themselves.

Variations

• Spice cake version. Swap in a spice cake mix for a deeper fall flavor.
• Caramel apple cider cupcakes. Add a spoonful of caramel sauce to the center before frosting.
• Cream cheese frosting. Tangy and a little less sweet.
• Mini cupcakes. Bake 10 to 12 minutes and you have two dozen for a party tray.
• Brown sugar buttercream. Replace half the powdered sugar with packed brown sugar, beaten until smooth.
• Apple chunks. Fold in 1 cup of finely diced peeled apple for extra texture.

Storing and Freezing

• Room temperature: Frosted cupcakes keep in a covered container for 2 to 3 days.
• Refrigerator: Up to 5 days. Let them sit out 30 minutes before serving so the butter softens.
• Freezer: Freeze unfrosted cupcakes up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter, then frost.
• Frosting ahead: Buttercream keeps in the fridge for a week. Rewhip it before piping.

Troubleshooting

• Frosting is too soft. Chill it 15 minutes, then rewhip. Warm kitchens are the usual culprit.
• Frosting is too stiff. Add milk one teaspoon at a time.
• Cupcakes sank in the middle. The oven door was opened too early, or the batter was overmixed.
• Cider flavor is faint. Reduce it further next time, down to about three-quarters of a cup.
• Liners peeled away. The cupcakes were still warm when you stored them. Cool completely first. Lightly spray the inside of the liner for easy removal, but not too much or it leaks through the paper.

Frequently Asked Questions

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