salted caramel apple cakelets

 

SEPTEMBER!!!! i am probably most excited for this month then i am any other month. especially because it is no longer signals back to school time for me. instead, i just get to take it all in & enjoy what early fall has to offer: pumpkins, apples, corn mazzes & more pumpkins! i already decorated the house earlier this week for fall. justin claims it was too early but i don't think it is ever too early when it comes to fall. we rock that pumpkin spice soap all year long! next on my list is to decorate the front porch when the real pumpkins start popping up at the farm. i am going all out this year... whymsical white pumpkins galore! we got our rejuvenation x o&g studios rocking chairs the other week so i am ten times more motivated to get the porch ready.

okay, but enough about my fall obsession! let's talk about these little cakelets. i had to kick september off with an apple recipe because apples are starting to pop up at the local farmers market. this recipe is infused with a homemade salted caramel, but you can also go the extra mile and drizzle a little on top too! i grated the apple into the cakes so the cakelets aren't filled with apple chunks. i baked them in the cutest nordic ware "apple slice cakelet pan"! i am just in love with it. the pan is made of cast aluminum & features all different sliced apple designs rather then just the same one. i think kids would love these as a back to school snack! i gave the pan a quick spray & not a single cakelet stuck.

p.s. nordic ware make a pumpkin pan too! i so need that for october when pumpkin takes over my kitchen. it is called the "autumn delights cakelet pan".

happy september friends & enjoy the long weekend:) xo

ingredients

for the salted caramel

  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

for the apple cakelets

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups raw sugar
  • 2 tablespoons salted caramel (see recipe above)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 medium apples, grated
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • powdered sugar, for serving
  • salted caramel, for serving

directions

for the salted caramel

  • in a saucepot add the sugar and water. bring the pan to a boil while wiping down the crystals that form on the sides of the pan using a pastry brush (do not stir, i repeat, do NOT stir).
  • continue to boil until the mixture turns to a deep amber colour, approximately 5 minutes. be sure not to burn the caramel! it will go from a deep amber to burnt sugar VERY quickly.
  • remove from heat and immediately whisk in the butter, cream & salt. cool to room temperature before serving.

for the cakelets

  • preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • in a large mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, oil, raw sugar, salted caramel and vanilla. stir in the grated apples.
  • in a separate mixing bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. add this mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until batter just comes together (do not over mix).
  • lightly grease apple slice cakelet pan and pour a tablespoon of batter into each cakelet.
  • bake for 20 minutes or until the top bounces back to touch.
  • dust with powdered sugar & drizzle with salted caramel before serving.

spiced apple pie cake

 

happy september!!!! back to work, back to school (so glad i am no longer part of the latter category) calls for a cake. not just any old cake, but an APPLE PIE cake. actually though, it is filled with fresh apple pie filling, sandwiched between three layers of apple spice cake & finished off with cream cheese frosting. as if that wasn't enough, i decided to give it a drizzle in salted caramel because YOLO.

this special cake is not just to celebrate the beginning of a new month (the month that kicks off my FAVOURITE months.. hurry up october), but was also for my older sister's 30th birthday.. i mean 29th birthday! while her favourite cake is chocolate cake, her favourite dessert is apple pie. i figured in her thiry years she has had her share of chocolate cake, so it was time to create something a little more special. when she went away to university, i would send apple pies up with my parents any time they went to visit her. it seemed like the perfect opportunity to try & make a cake that taste just like those old memories. she absolutely loved it & said "this actually taste like pie" so that means it was a huge success! now i need to see what else i can whip up with apples because the apple orchards are starting to open here & i want to go apple picking so badly! what are you most looking forward to this month?! i don't know if it is sweater weather quite yet;)

ingredients

for the apple spice cake

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup grated apples, packed
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

for the apple pie filling

  • 3-4 medium apples, peeled & thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

for the cinnamon cream cheese frosting

  • 1 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 cups icing sugar, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 8 ounces full fat cream cheese
  • salted caramel, optional

directions

for the apple spice cake

  • preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream butter and brown sugar.
  • add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. mix until mixture is pale & fluffy.
  • beat in the grated apples & whole milk.
  • in a separate bowl sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg. gradually add to stand mixer at low speed.
  • evenly distribute batter amongst two greased 8-inch round cake pans or three greased 6-inch round cake pans.
  • bake each layer for about 15-20 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
  • let cakes cool completely before flipping & frosting.

for the apple pie filling

  • in a skillet over medium heat add the apples, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, cornstarch, cinnamon & nutmeg. toss to coat.
  • cook until the apples are tender & gooey just like apple pie.
  • set aside & let cool before using.

for the frosting

  • add butter, icing sugar, vanilla & cinnamon in the bowl of a stand mixer and whip until light and fluffy, about 8-10 minutes.
  • turn mixture to medium speed & add the cream cheese one chunk at a time. beat for 30 seconds.
  • when you are ready to frost the cake start with a layer of cake, frosting then filling until you reach the last layer of cake. to ensure the filling stays inside the cake, create a thick border along the edges with the frosting.
  • frost the outside as desired & drizzle with salted caramel!

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