I used just canned apple pie filling, a box of cake mix, and cinnamon to make Cake Mix Apple Muffins, and the pantry-only shortcut produced an unexpected result I had to share.

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I wasn’t expecting much when I mixed canned apple pie filling into a yellow cake mix, just to see what would happen, but they became these weirdly irresistible Apple Fritter Muffins. Crispy edges give way to soft, bouncy centers with little apple pockets that surprise you, and somehow it tastes way fancier than the effort.

You can call them Cake Mix Apple Fritter Cake or whatever, but here’s the thing: they’re stupidly easy and kinda sneaky good, like a shortcut that actually works. If you’re into quick, slightly rebellious baking experiments, you’ll want to try these and maybe not share.

Ingredients

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Yellow cake mix: Pre sweetened base that adds carbs sugar structure lift and steady moistness.
Apple pie filling: Apple chunks add fiber and natural sugars, moist pockets with warm sweetness.
Eggs: They provide protein binders, add richness and moisture, help the muffins rise good.
Vegetable oil: Pure fat that keeps crumb tender and moist, boosts calories, no dairy.
Ground cinnamon: Warm aromatic spice, low calories, masks some sweetness and adds cozy flavor notes.
Unsalted butter: Brushed on for shine, gives buttery crisp edges and a little extra fat.
Powdered sugar glaze: Simple sugar syrup that makes a glossy sweet finish, adds no nutrients.

Ingredient Quantities

1 (15.25 oz) box yellow cake mix

1 (20 oz) can apple pie filling

3 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus 1 teaspoon more for topping

1/4 cup granulated sugar (for cinnamon sugar coating)

1/4 cup (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted, for brushing

Optional glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 to 3 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12 cup muffin tin with liners or spray with nonstick spray, this helps muffins release easy.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 1 box yellow cake mix, 3 large eggs, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon until just combined, dont overmix or the muffins get tough.

3. Stir in the entire 20 oz can apple pie filling, breaking up any very large apple chunks with your spoon so the batter is chunky but even.

4. Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to fill muffin cups about 3/4 full, you want room for rise without overflow.

5. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out with a few moist crumbs, rotate the pan halfway if your oven cooks uneven.

6. While muffins bake mix 1/4 cup granulated sugar with the remaining 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl and melt 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) unsalted butter for brushing.

7. When muffins are done let them cool in the tin 4 to 5 minutes, then brush each warm muffin with melted butter and immediately roll or dip the top in the cinnamon sugar so it sticks well.

8. Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling about 10 minutes; theyre best warm but not piping hot when coated so the sugar sets.

9. Optional glaze: whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to desired thickness, drizzle over cooled muffins with a spoon or fork for extra sweetness.

10. Serve warm, store leftovers in an airtight container at room temp for 2 days or refrigerate up to 4 days, reheat briefly to bring back that fresh-baked feel.

Equipment Needed

1. 12-cup muffin tin (use paper liners or nonstick spray so muffins release easy)
2. Large mixing bowl
3. Whisk (for eggs, oil and cake mix)
4. Wooden spoon or rubber spatula (to stir in the apple filling, dont overmix)
5. Ice cream scoop or large spoon (to fill cups evenly)
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Small bowl (for the cinnamon sugar) and a fork to mix it
8. Pastry brush (to brush melted butter on warm muffins)
9. Wire cooling rack and oven mitts (to cool and handle the hot pan)

FAQ

Can I use fresh apples instead of the canned apple pie filling? Yes. Peel and dice about 3 medium apples (roughly 2 cups), toss with 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp cornstarch, cook in a skillet until tender and slightly thickened, then cool before folding into the batter. Use about the same volume as the 20 oz can.

How do I keep the muffins from getting soggy? Drain the apple pie filling well and press out excess syrup, fold the filling into the batter gently and dont overmix, and fill the muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs; if tops still look wet, give them a few more minutes.

Can I freeze these muffins? Yes. Cool completely, wrap individually in plastic or place in a freezer bag, freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temp, then warm briefly in the oven to refresh the exterior.

What's the best way to reheat so they get that crisp, cinnamon-sugar edge back? Reheat in a 325 to 350 F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or use an air fryer at 300 F for 3 to 5 minutes. Microwave will heat fast but makes them soft, not crisp.

Any easy substitutions for dietary needs? A gluten free yellow cake mix can be used but texture may change. To cut fat swap half the oil for unsweetened applesauce, and to reduce sugar use a reduced sugar or sugar free pie filling and skip or cut back on the cinnamon-sugar coating.

How do I make and apply the optional glaze and the cinnamon-sugar fritter coating? For glaze mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tbsp milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla until drizzleable, then spoon over cooled muffins. For the fritter-style coating brush warm muffins with the melted butter, toss or sprinkle with the 1 tsp cinnamon mixed into 1/4 cup granulated sugar right after baking so it sticks.

Apple Fritter Muffins Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Yellow cake mix: swap for 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt — whisk together and use in place of the 15.25 oz box.
Apple pie filling: use about 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh apples tossed with 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tbsp lemon juice; if you want the saucy texture add 1 to 2 tbsp water and 1 tsp cornstarch cooked briefly.
Vegetable oil: replace 1:1 with melted coconut oil or melted butter for similar richness, or use 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce to cut fat (muffins will be a bit denser).
3 large eggs: make 3 flax “eggs” (3 tbsp ground flax + 9 tbsp water, let sit 5 minutes) or use 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce — flax keeps structure better, applesauce adds moisture and slight sweetness.

Pro Tips

– Drain or thicken the apple filling first. If you leave all that syrup in the can the muffins can get soggy in the middle, so pour off some liquid or warm the filling in a small pan to reduce it, then let it cool a bit before adding.

– Use room temp eggs and gentle mixing, not a blender. Things come together smoother and rise better when ingredients arent cold, and if you keep stirring to a minimum the crumb stays tender not rubbery.

– Portion and bake for even muffins. An ice cream scoop makes them all the same size so some dont finish way before others, and try to put the pan in the center rack so heat is even, rotate once if your oven has hot spots.

– Make them more interesting and easier to store. Add a handful of chopped pecans or a quick oat streusel on top before baking for crunch, and freeze extras individually wrapped then zap 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave to revive them later.

Apple Fritter Muffins Recipe

Recipe by Toni Baldesera

0.0 from 0 votes

I used just canned apple pie filling, a box of cake mix, and cinnamon to make Cake Mix Apple Muffins, and the pantry-only shortcut produced an unexpected result I had to share.

Servings

servings

Calories

336

kcal

Equipment: 1. 12-cup muffin tin (use paper liners or nonstick spray so muffins release easy)
2. Large mixing bowl
3. Whisk (for eggs, oil and cake mix)
4. Wooden spoon or rubber spatula (to stir in the apple filling, dont overmix)
5. Ice cream scoop or large spoon (to fill cups evenly)
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Small bowl (for the cinnamon sugar) and a fork to mix it
8. Pastry brush (to brush melted butter on warm muffins)
9. Wire cooling rack and oven mitts (to cool and handle the hot pan)

Ingredients

1 (15.25 oz) box yellow cake mix
1 (20 oz) can apple pie filling
3 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus 1 teaspoon more for topping
1/4 cup granulated sugar (for cinnamon sugar coating)
1/4 cup (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted, for brushing
Optional glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 to 3 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12 cup muffin tin with liners or spray with nonstick spray, this helps muffins release easy.
In a large bowl whisk together 1 box yellow cake mix, 3 large eggs, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon until just combined, dont overmix or the muffins get tough.
Stir in the entire 20 oz can apple pie filling, breaking up any very large apple chunks with your spoon so the batter is chunky but even.
Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to fill muffin cups about 3/4 full, you want room for rise without overflow.
Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out with a few moist crumbs, rotate the pan halfway if your oven cooks uneven.
While muffins bake mix 1/4 cup granulated sugar with the remaining 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl and melt 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) unsalted butter for brushing.
When muffins are done let them cool in the tin 4 to 5 minutes, then brush each warm muffin with melted butter and immediately roll or dip the top in the cinnamon sugar so it sticks well.
Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling about 10 minutes; theyre best warm but not piping hot when coated so the sugar sets.
Optional glaze: whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to desired thickness, drizzle over cooled muffins with a spoon or fork for extra sweetness.
Serve warm, store leftovers in an airtight container at room temp for 2 days or refrigerate up to 4 days, reheat briefly to bring back that fresh-baked feel.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.