Caramel Apple Cake Cups are a bite-size apple cake dessert that will melt in your mouth. A boxed cake mix gets a makeover with caramel, apple pie filling, and a caramel drizzle.

Caramel apple cake cups on a baking sheet.

Apple desserts are starting to pop up everywhere, and I’m jumping on the apple wagon, too. I adore the apple and caramel combination and imagined a cake cup with the perfect marriage of flavors.

I used a butter pecan cake mix, Kraft caramels, and apple pie filling in this recipe. You know me and my cake mix hacks.

I had the idea of the caramel melting at the bottom of the cake cup. I had to time it so the cake cup was almost baked and the caramel had enough time to soften and melt.

It gets even better with caramel sauce drizzled on top. It’s sooooo sweet and perfectly decadent. I didn’t know whether or not to lick off all that sweet sticky caramel first or pop the cake up in my mouth and experience all the deliciousness simultaneously.

Ingredients

The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.

Butter pecan cake mix – You can also use a spice cake mix or yellow cake mix.
Eggs
Salted butter
Caramels – I used Kraft caramels.
Apple pie filling
Caramel sauce

How to Make Caramel Apple Cake Cups

Follow along to learn how to make caramel apple cake cups!

Step One: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray.
Step Two: In a mixing bowl, stir together cake mix, butter and eggs.
Step Three: Take about 1 tbsp of dough and press it into the muffin tin. Do not make it too thick, or it will not cook entirely in the center.
Step Four: Place in the oven for about 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and poke the center with a spoon to create your cup. Put the cake cups back in the oven for another 5 minutes, and then repeat the process to create your cup.
Step Five: Place back in the oven for another 5 minutes. They should be almost ready by now. Remove from the oven and use the spoon to poke the center to make it cup-shaped. Then, place one caramel in each cup. Put back in the oven for another 5 to 9 minutes until the caramel is melted and the cake cups are golden.
Step Six: Remove from oven and let cool.

Step Seven: Add about 1 tsp of apple pie filling to each cake cup once cool. Drizzle with caramel sauce if desired.

Collage of adding the apple pie filling.

Best Way to Serve

They look a bit like little apple caramel pies, don’t they? Serve with some vanilla ice cream if you like! Of all the cake and cookie cups I’ve made recently, this recipe is one of my favorites.

What If I Don’t Have Caramel Cubes?

If you don’t have caramel cubes to place in the center of your cups, you can use caramel sauce instead. Just fully bake your cups and then spoon in a bit of the caramel sauce. Then, top with the apple pie filling like normal and drizzle on more sauce if you want.

How to Get the Filling in the Center

As your cake cups bake, push down the center with the bottom of a spoon or kitchen utensil. This will keep the center hollowed out to fit in your caramel and apple pie filling.

The key is to not overfill the muffin tin with dough, either. If you put too much in, it will not work. Aim for around a tablespoon of dough.

A cake cup on a plate with a fork going through it.

How to Store

These apple cake cups can be stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Because of the apple pie filling, it is best to keep them in the fridge to extend their life. If you like them warm, just heat them for a few seconds in the microwave until warmed up.

Can You Freeze?

Yes, you can freeze these bite-size cake cups. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container. Then toss in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge the night before you plan to enjoy. Or warm them up in the microwave on defrost to get them soft.

Caramel Apple Recipes

Try Carrot Cake Cups, Peanut Butter Cookie Cups, Air Fryer Apples, Apple Pie Egg Rolls, Caramel Nut Brittle, and Salted Caramel Fudge.

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Rate this Recipe

4.67 from 3 votes