They may resemble muffins but they’re not. These Fluffy Cupcakes with Apples & Blueberries are light and airy with the perfect topping of fruit and crunchy sugar.
Kudos to Emilie at The Clever Carrot for this awesome recipe. If you’re not a fan of cupcakes, turn this into a cake in your spring form pan. Check out the details in the Recipe Notes.
What you’ll need to make your Fluffy Cupcakes with Apples & Blueberries…
- Flour – Unbleached all-purpose flour is used here. I always use flour that is organic, non-GMO and free of glyphosate. My personal favorite is from a domestic company, Sunrise Flour Mill, located in Minnesota.
- Cornstarch – Or arrowroot starch. Cornstarch, also known as maize starch or cornflour, is a fine, white, powdery substance made from the endosperm of corn kernels. It’s important to note that a significant portion of the corn grown in the US is genetically engineered. While most commercial corn is GMO, you can find non-GMO cornstarch, often labeled as “organic” or “non-GMO.”
- Baking powder – Baking powder contributes to a lighter, fluffier texture in baked goods.
- Salt – Finely ground table salt is fine.
- Unsalted butter – At room temperature. It is important to use unsalted butter so that the natural butter flavor shines through without the influence of added salt.
- Granulated sugar – When possible, I prefer to use organic granulated sugar. It’s less processed than conventional refined sugar, retaining some of the molasses, which contains vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Additionally, organic sugar is produced without synthetic pesticides or herbicides.
- Eggs – Large eggs (chilled or at room temperature) are used in this recipe.
- Pure vanilla extract – Best to use pure vanilla extract. Made from only natural vanilla beans, water and alcohol, pure vanilla extract provides a richer, deeper flavor profile with additional aromatic notes that the artificial version lacks.
- Buttermilk – Be sure to shake well before measuring. The subtle tangy flavor of buttermilk enhances the overall taste of the cupcakes.
- Blueberries – Fresh or frozen.
- Small red apples – Unpeeled, cored & thinly sliced. Honey crisp apples work well.
- Sanding sugar – Sanding sugar is a large crystal sugar that works well for decorating because it won’t dissolve with heat. It also creates an awesome sparkly effect.
Let’s get started…
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Line a muffin tin with baking cups – for the best presentation, use tulip cupcake liners.
- Into a large bowl, measure out 1 1/2 cups of flour, making sure to remove 2 tablespoons.
- Add the cornstarch along with the baking powder and salt – arrowroot starch can be used in place of cornstarch.
- Give it a quick whisk to combine.
- Sift no less than three times – I use a 3-cup hand-crank flour sifter for this task, but any fine mesh strainer would work.
- For best results, sift a total of five times.
- It is helpful to sift the flour mixture onto a large sheet of parchment paper.
- That allows you to pick up the paper and pour the flour back into the bowl for each round of sifting.
- Set the sifted flour aside.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, add the room temperature butter and sugar – this can also be done with your hand mixer.
- Cream together until light and fluffy, for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until well incorporated.
- Add the vanilla.
- Working in batches, add the buttermilk and dry ingredients alternately.
- Mix until incorporated.
- Fill each baking cup about 2/3 full.
- Top with blueberries and about 3 apple slices, tucking them gently into the batter.
- Sprinkle with sanding sugar.
- Bake in the center of the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Your Fluffy Cupcakes with Apples & Blueberries are most delicious when served while still warm.
fluffy cupcakes with apples & blueberries
Be sure to take the time to sift your flour; it makes the cake light and airy.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (2 tablespoons removed)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- 2 small red apples, unpeeled, cored, thinly sliced (honeycrisp work well)
- 2 tablespoons sanding sugar
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with baking cups or tulip cupcake liners.
-
Into a large bowl, measure out 1 1/2 cups of flour, making sure to remove 2 tablespoons. Add the cornstarch (or arrowroot starch) along with the baking powder and salt. Give it a quick whisk to combine.
-
Sift no less than three times. For best results, sift a total of five times. It is helpful to sift the flour mixture onto a large sheet of parchment paper. That allows you to pick up the paper and pour the flour into the bowl. Set the sifted flour aside.
-
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, add the room temperature butter and sugar. Cream together until light and fluffy, for about 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until well incorporated. Add the vanilla. Working in batches, add the buttermilk and dry ingredients alternately. Mix until incorporated.
-
Fill each baking cup about 2/3 full. Top with blueberries and about 3 apple slices, tucking them gently into the batter. Sprinkle with sanding sugar.
-
Bake in the center of the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.To turn this recipe into a cake, lightly grease a 9-inch spring form pan. Bake for about 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Cool on a wire rack before serving.
Recipe Notes
Instead of cupcakes, this recipe can be baked as a cake. Pour the prepared batter into a lightly greased 9-inch spring form pan. Arrange the blueberries and apple slices evenly over the surface, followed by an even sprinkling of the sanding sugar.
Bake for about 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center. Cool on a wire rack before serving.
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have personally experienced all of these products, and I recommend them because I have found them to be of superior quality. We appreciate your support.
For the love of apples…
