1 box of vanilla cake mix, plus ingredients called for on box
For Apple Pie Filling:
4 tbsp. butter
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus more for decorating
1 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt, plus more for buttercream
4 honey crisp apples, medium, peeled, sliced into 1/2" cubes
For Icing:
1 3/4 c. butter, softened
5 c. powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. heavy cream
Preheat oven to 350º and line 2 12-cup muffin tins with black cupcake liners. Prepare cupcake batter according to package directions. Scoop cupcake batter into liners and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18-22 minutes. Let cool. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Mix in brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt and apples to pot. Let the mixture come to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cover with a lid. Let cook until apples are very tender, about 12 minutes. Remove the lid, increase heat back to medium and let the sauce reduce to a thin caramel, remove from heat and let cool completely. In a large bowl using a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat until combined, then add vanilla, heavy cream, and season with salt. Beat until combined, adding more heavy cream to loosen if necessary. Transfer frosting into a piping bag fitted with a ½” star piping tip. Using a small scoop or paring knife, remove the centers of each cupcake, creating a divot into which you will spoon the filling. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling into each divot. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and sprinkle with demerara sugar and cinnamon.