Caramel-Apple Mini Cakes

By Late2Serenity

Ingredients

• CAKE
• 2 cups (8 ounces) Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice or 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
• 3/4 cup (12 tablespoons, 6 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups (11 1/4 ounces )brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) boiled cider or frozen apple juice concentrate
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) applesauce
• 3 cups peeled, chopped apples (about 3 apples, 3/4 pound before peeling)
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) walnuts, chopped
• FROSTING
• 5 tablespoons (2 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup firmly (3 1/4 ounces) packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons (1 3/8 ounces) corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) milk
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Details

Servings 12
Adapted from kingarthurflour.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease the wells of a Pop-Up Pan, or 12 muffin cups.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices; set aside. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, stopping once or twice to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl, then mix in the dry ingredients, vanilla, boiled cider and applesauce, stirring until evenly moistened. Fold in the apples and walnuts.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes for 15 minutes before turning out of the pan; cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting: Melt the butter, stir in the salt, brown sugar, and corn syrup and cook, stirring, until the sugar melts. Add the milk, bring to a rolling boil, and pour into a mixing bowl to cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Beat well; if the mixture appears too thin, add more confectioners' sugar. Spread on the cakes while the frosting is still warm.