Air Fryer Apple Cider Cranberry Cupcakes

Try some flavors of the season with these Air Fryer Apple Cider Cranberry Cupcakes. They are gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and dairy-free to fit your dietary needs. Then to top it off, whip up our Vegan Aquafaba Frosting for a light and airy frosting that is slightly sweetened to bring these cupcakes to a fold. 

Although you may be thinking apple cider and cranberries to be a strange combination of flavors for a cupcake, but trust me, it works! I had my doubts the same as you, but, surprisingly, these two work incredibly well together. The apple cider smoothness with cinnamon, all-spice and nutmeg brings together all the flavors of the season. Mix in the cranberry sauce filling for the perfect amount of sweet and tart and booyea! Homerun! Add the light and fluffy frosting and you have one melt-in-your-mouth cupcake that will leave you wanting more. 

Filled Apple Cider Cranberry Cupcakes 

Filled cupcakes are always welcomed delight. I love biting into a cupcake to find a fruity filling and the cranberry filling adds a sweet and savory surprise. If you have never made a filled cupcake, you are missing out. A filled cupcake is amazingly simple to make. All you have to do is wait until your cupcakes are cooled and use a frosting tip or cookie cutter and scoop out a little bit of the cupcake center. Add in your cranberry sauce and then gently place the cupcake piece back on and frost like you normally would. 

Do I Measure Flour Before Or After Sifting 

One question I see often when it comes to sifting flour concerns sifting. Do I sift the flour before or after I measure? The answer is measure first and then sift. Sifting will give you a finer and smoother flour consistency which is needed for these cupcakes. 

What Does Sifted Flour Do

The reason some recipes call for a sifted flour is that it makes the batter lighter and smoother in texture. Ingredients are combined much easier with sifted flour. This is especially true with these cupcakes. 

What Is The Correct Way To Measure Flour

Spoon the flour into the measuring cup. Use the straight edge of a knife to run over the top to level your flour in the cup. When you put your measuring cup into the container and scoop directly, it causes the flour to pack, which means you can have more flour than you need, leaving your baked goods less than desirable. 

Air Fryer Apple Cider Cranberry Cupcakes

The Air Fryer does a wonderful job of baking cupcakes. I do recommend using silicone muffin cups, as they are easy to remove. Since you are cooking in the Air Fryer, you can place the silicone liners in your ramekins for easy baking.

AmazonBasics Reusable Silicone Baking Cups, Pack of 12(Set of 8) 4 oz. Porcelain Ramekins, White Bakeware, Soufflé Cups Dishes, Creme Brulee, Pudding, Custard Cups, Dessert Bowls, Condiment Servers

 

I use homemade apple cider in this recipe and homemade cranberry sauce as well. I find that both of these homemade ingredients really help to add even more rich and smooth flavors into your cupcake. 

If you are a fan of the holiday flavors, these cupcakes are a perfect fit. If you or someone you know has allergies to certain foods, this is an allergy-friendly holiday cupcake that will taste more like a treat. We have made these a handful of times and really have enjoyed the flavors. Our boys devour them without breathing. LOL! 

You don’t have to be limited by food allergies to enjoy these delicious cupcakes. Anyone without a food allergy won’t even know these cupcakes are gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free and dairy-free.

Since we received the test results of my youngest son’s allergy to soy, I’ve committed to continue to bring him his favorite treats. I’m also committed to bring you, my beloved readers, these same treats in the chances you also have food allergies in your home. It breaks my heart when someone feels deprived of the finer tastes in life because of a food allergy, especially a child. Enjoy the tasty desserts of the season with these Homemade Apple Cider Cranberry Air Fryer Cupcakes. 

 

Air Fryer Apple Cider Cranberry Cupcakes

 

Makes – 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1½ cup of Gluten Free Flour (I use King Arthur)
• 1 teaspoon of Baking Soda
• ¼ teaspoon of Salt
• ¼ teaspoon of Xantham Gum
• 1 teaspoon of ground Cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon of ground All Spice
• ¼ teaspoon of ground Nutmeg
• ¾ cup of Brown Sugar
• ½ cup melted Soy Free Vegan Butter or Butter
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup of Fresh Instant Pot Made Apple Cider
• ¾ cup of Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
• 2 cups of Vegan Aquafaba Frosting
• Few fresh Cranberries to garnish

King Arthur Flour 100% Organic Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, 5 Pound (Pack of 6)Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Xanthan Gum, 8-ouncePure Vanilla Extract for Baking – Gourmet Quality, Organically Grown Hand-Picked Heilala Vanilla Beans, No Sugar, No Imitation or Synthetic Flavors, Keto Friendly, Superior to Madagascar & Tahitian

 

Instructions

1) In a large bowl, shift together the gluten free flour, baking soda, salt, xanthan gum, cinnamon, all spice and nutmeg.

2) In another bowl, combine the brown sugar and the melted vegan butter and beat it on high for a couple of minutes until the brown sugar is almost dissolved.

 

3) Add the eggs and the vanilla extract and beat for another minute.

4) Now add the sifted flour mixture and the apple cider alternately starting and ending with the flour. Gently fold it in.

5) Line mini ramekins (4 oz.) with silicone liners. Divide the batter among 12 ramekins, filling each ramekin about ¾ its size.

6) Arrange a few ramekins in the Air Fryer basket and air fry at 300 F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted at the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.

7) Repeat with the rest of the ramekins.

8) Let the cupcakes cool. Now with a small circle cutter or a frosting tip, cut out small circles from the tops of the cupcakes and press them down to form a cavity.

9) Fill each cupcakes with a tablespoon of cranberry sauce.

10) Fill a pastry bag with the vegan aquafaba frosting and top each cupcakes with pretty swirls.

11)Garnish with a fresh cranberry and server immediately.

12) Store the leftovers in the fridge.

Notes

• We highly recommend the silicone liners instead of papers liners while baking in the Air Fryer. The silicone liners are effortlessly easier to remove from the ramekins.

Don’t Forget to try the Vegan Aquafaba Frosting that goes PERFECT with these Cupcakes!!!

 

Don’t Forget To Print Out The Recipe To Have Later!