I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty excited that it’s September. School is in session for the kids, football is on, and temperatures are bound to go down sometime soon. Okay, so that last part might be wishful thinking for those of us in South Florida, but for the rest of the country it will probably happen sooner rather than later. Fall is knocking on our door and I just love it! And you know what that means — fall baking! Bring on the pumpkin, apple, cinnamon, and all the other fall favors that I wait all year long for. I could think of no better way to kick off the fall baking season than with these Mini Spice Cakes with Apple Infused Icing!
Filled with fall flavor, these dense Mini Spice Cakes with Apple Infused Icing should be at the very top of your fall baking list. Their size makes them the perfect to serve at your next gathering or snacking on your own. Even better, they’re super easy to make, with the key to the recipe being apple cider. Yes! There’s cider right in the icing…that’s what makes this recipe so special. I’ve baked with apple cider before, and I think it’s one of the best ways to add fall flavor to your recipe without it being overpowering.
I’ll warn you in advance that these fall cakes require more ingredients than I normally include in my recipes, but don’t let that scare you off. They are oh-so-worth it and definitely worth the extra time and ingredients. Just one bite and you’ll feel like it’s already fall (even if the official arrival isn’t for another 2 weeks!).
You will need (for the cake):
2 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp allspice
1 cup of brown sugar
1 ½ cup sour cream
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup vegetable oil
Caramel sauce
You will need (for the icing):
½ cup of butter-room temp
5 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup of milk
½ cup apple cider
Step 1 – Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease mini bundt pans and lightly flour.
Step 2 – In one bowl add all dry ingredients except brown sugar. In a separate bowl mix eggs with brown sugar, until well combined. Once mixed, slowly add in sour cream and then the oil.
Step 3 – Add dry ingredients and wet ingredients and mix for 2 minutes. Fill bundt pans ¾ the way up and bake for 20 minutes.
Step 4 – Take out and drizzle icing and caramel on while cakes are still warm.
Note: Icing should be very thin. If it appears thick in consistency, add more apple cider until thin consistency is achieved.
Step 5 – Squeeze caramel in the middle of cake. Sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg. Enjoy!
