This easy, fluffy Apple Frosting adds a rich, sweet, and zesty flavor to your favorite baked goods! It's easy to make with just a few simple ingredients and packs a bold fruity taste.
You'll love this refreshing and delicious apple frosting! It's sweet, fluffy and zesty with a wonderful apple tang.
This easy-to-follow recipe will have you creating tasty, homemade apple frosting in no time. Whether it’s for topping cupcakes, cakes, muffins, or other baked goods, this creamy apple frosting will be sure to please even the pickiest of eaters.
With just a few simple ingredients, you can whip up a delicious homemade dessert topping that is sure to become a family favorite.
Try using it as a fruity topping for Apple Cider Cake, or Apple Kale Cake. Or slather it on Carrot Cupcakes or Cucumber and Lemon Cupcakes!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Apple frosting adds a zesty flavor to baked goods.
- It's easy to make.
- Apple pairs with many flavors of cakes and cupcakes, like vanilla, almond, cinnamon, and rose.
- It is a creative, unusual, and delicious way to top a cake.
- It's a sweet and tangy topping that pairs perfectly with other spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Applesauce gives the frosting its burst of flavor.
- This frosting can be used as a topping for pies, donuts, and crepes.
- Add food coloring in different colors for extra appeal.
- Apple frosting is a perfect way to jazz up an otherwise plain cake.
- It can be made with vegan ingredients for those who are avoiding dairy and animal products.
Ingredients
- Powdered Sugar (Confectioner's Sugar): Like most frostings, powdered icing sugar adds sweetness and thickness.
- Applesauce - Use smooth applesauce for the flavor. It also replaces some of the butter in the buttercream, so it's a little bit healthier!
- Butter - Use regular butter, or swap to vegan if you want the frosting dairy free.
- Vanilla - Pure vanilla extract adds a rich, flavorful sweetness.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Follow this step-by-step photo tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.
First, ensure that your applesauce is smooth. If yours isn't, then briefly puree it with an immersion blender (hand held stick blender).
Also, ensure the applesauce and butter are at room temperature.
Add the butter, apple sauce and vanilla to a mixing bowl, and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
Sift in the powdered confectioner's sugar a little at a time, beating until thick, smooth, and creamy.
TIP: If necessary, add a little more powdered sugar to thicken, or a tablespoon of milk to thin.
Store it covered in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.
Variations
- Make it vegan: Use vegan butter and check that your sugar is vegan.
- Swap the vanilla extract for lemon, almond, or a drop of rose (use less rose than you would vanilla as it can be very strong).
- I prefer smooth applesauce so the resulting frosting is smooth, but you can use chunky if you want a textured frosting.
- For a different flavor, use flavored applesauce, like mixed berry, cinnamon, or strawberry applesauce.
- Try it with homemade applesauce.
Flavor Pairings for Apple
Wondering which flavor of baked goods will work with apple frosting? These flavors pair well with apple!
- Almond
- Anise
- Beets
- Blackberry
- Cinnamon
- Clove
- Hazelnut
- Mango
- Nutmeg
- Orange
- Pear
- Pineapple
- Rose
- Vanilla
Storage
Store: Store your apple frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. If you make homemade applesauce it may last a few days less.
Top tip
Make sure your butter is at room temperature before beating it. If you've forgotten to take it out of the fridge, to soften it quicker you can grate it on a cheesegrater, then set it aside for 10 minutes or until soft. It will take less time to come up to room temperature than a whole block will.
FAQ
The main difference between icing and frosting is that icing has a thinner consistency and is often used to drizzle on or coat the cake, while frosting is thick and fluffy and is usually piped or spread thickly on top of the cake.
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📖 Recipe
Apple Frosting
Equipment
- Fine mesh sieve
Ingredients
- 2 cups powdered confectioner's sugar 250g
- 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons smooth applesauce puree if necessary, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Note: this is enough for the top and sides of a layer cake; double the recipe to also frost the sides.
Instructions
- First, ensure that your applesauce is smooth. If yours isn't, then briefly puree it with an immersion blender (hand held stick blender).
- Also, ensure the applesauce and butter are at room temperature.
- Add the butter, apple sauce and vanilla to a mixing bowl, and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Sift in the powdered confectioner's sugar a little at a time, beating until thick, smooth, and creamy.
- TIP: If necessary, add a little more powdered sugar to thicken, or a tablespoon of milk to thin.
- Store it covered in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Krissy
I made an apple cake and wanted the apple flavor to come thru in the frosting. So glad I found this recipe. It turned out perfect!
Ned
This was so good on vanilla cupcakes for a fruity flavor!
gunjan
What a creative way to use apples. I am amazed at your creativity and your talent to use this fruit in a such a brilliant recipe.
Mahy
I've always wondered how apple frosting is made. Fantastic recipe and very easy-to-follow instructions!
Luci Petlack
OOOO this looks really good. Saving it for the next time I bake!!