These applesauce cupcakes are light and fluffy, topped with cream cheese frosting, and are based on my popular applesauce cake! Lightly sweetened and flavored with cinnamon and cloves, this will be your new favorite cupcake.

an applesauce cupcake topped with cream cheese frosting and cinnamon with more cupcakes in the background

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Apple season is approaching, so I thought I'd share a recipe that so many people have asked for!

My applesauce cake has been a popular birthday smash cake for babies thanks to it not being too sweet. People often ask if they can make some or all of the batter into cupcakes, so I figured I'd test it out and share exactly how to do that.

The cake recipe doesn't translate perfectly to cupcakes, but my friend Kristin over at Baker Bettie helped me troubleshoot how to turn that cake into some of the best cupcakes. Be sure to check out her cookbook, Baker Bettie's Better Baking Book (affiliate link), if you're interested in mastering classic baking techniques!

applesauce cupcakes on a white table sprinkled with cinnamon

These cupcakes are perfect as we head into fall. The spices make me feel like getting cozy under a fuzzy blanket with a mug of tea.

The only way to make these applesauce cupcakes better is to top them off with cream cheese frosting! The frosting is really simple and perfectly creamy. These cupcakes are just waiting for a fall birthday, Thanksgiving, or other special occasion.

Applesauce cupcake ingredients

ingredients for applesauce cupcake recipe

Butter
Brown sugar
Maple syrup
Eggs
Flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Cinnamon
Cloves
Applesauce

How to make applesauce cupcakes

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and brown sugar until creamy.
Add the maple syrup and mix until incorporated.
Add the eggs and mix until incorporated.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves.
Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the applesauce to the butter mixture, mixing until just incorporated each time.
Divide the batter between 16 muffin tins lined with paper liners.
Bake 18 minutes at 375ºF or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream cheese frosting ingredients

Cream cheese
Butter
Powdered sugar
Vanilla extract

How to make cream cheese frosting

Let cream cheese and butter soften to room temperature.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese until soft and smooth.
Add the butter and beat on medium speed for one minute.
Add the powdered sugar and pulse the mixer a few times until it is somewhat incorporated, then scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the vanilla, and beat until soft and smooth.
Cream cheese frosting can be spread onto cupcakes with a knife, or transfer to a piping bag with a large opening (or just snip off the end) and pipe swirls onto cupcakes.

Top tips and questions

Can I substitute more applesauce for the butter?

I do not recommend swapping the butter in this recipe for extra applesauce. If you're feeling brave and want to give it a try anyways, let us know in the comments how it turned out.

Should my cupcake batter be smooth?

You'll want to avoid over mixing your cupcake batter. Over mixing can create tough (not fluffy) cupcakes, and may put too much air in the batter resulting in oddly sized cupcakes.

It's ok if your batter has a few lumps remaining, just make sure your dry ingredients are mostly incorporated and you can't see flour sitting on top of the cupcake batter in the pan.

How many applesauce cupcakes does this recipe make?

This recipe is for 16 cupcakes, which I can appreciate is kind of an annoying number since most cupcake pans are for 12 cupcakes. I happen to have two pans, so this wasn't too much of a problem, but you could work in batches if needed.

If you are making my applesauce smash cake and want to make cupcakes out of the rest, I would recommend using this recipe for both and reducing the number of cupcakes to about 8.

Fill the tuna cans first to make sure you have enough batter there, then make as many cupcakes as the remaining batter will allow. Just make sure you're filling your cupcake liners about ¾ of the way full to avoid the batter spilling over the top.

How do I sift powdered sugar?

I recommend sifting the powdered sugar when making the cream cheese frosting to keep is smooth and free of lumps. I do this using a fine mesh strainer, but you could also use a flour sifter if you have one.

If you don't have either tool you can make the frosting without sifting, though it may be a bit lumpy.

How do I decorate a cupcake with cream cheese frosting?

Cream cheese frosting doesn't hold its shape as well as buttercream frosting, so you won't be able to pipe pretty designs with it. I transferred the frosting to a plastic sandwich bag, snipped off the end, and piped a swirl on top.

Alternatively, you could spread the frosting on with a knife, or use a spoon to add some, then swirl it with the back of the spoon.

Can I freeze applesauce cupcakes?

These cupcakes freeze great, but I would freeze them before frosting. They will keep frozen for up to 3 months.

When you're ready to enjoy them, let them sit out on the counter while you prepare the frosting and they should be perfectly defrosted by the time you're done frosting them.

If you prefer to freeze the cupcakes already frosted you certainly can, it's just a little more awkward to store a frosted cupcake without touching the frosting. If you make a lot of cupcakes, it might be worth investing in a cupcake carrier, which can make this easier.

an applesauce spice cupcake sitting on the paper liner with a bite taken out and a few more cupcakes in the background

Tips for customizing applesauce cupcakes

Skip the frosting and sprinkle the tops with powdered sugar or spread with peanut butter as breakfast or a snack
Sprinkle cinnamon over the frosted cupcakes
Use apple chips or cinnamon sticks as a pretty garnish
Swap the cream cheese frosting for your favorite buttercream frosting