The recipe called for either small cake forms or cupcake pans. I just bought the Nordic Ware Petits Four pan and had to try it out. They turned out very cute.
I received lots of compliments on these and if Fall puts you in the mood for anything apple, then you should enjoy these. I have a few changes I made to the recipe and I will simply make note of them as I changed them.
Serves: 24
Yields: 24 individual single serving cakes (cupcake size)
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 1/4 cups flour (I used 2 cups + 4 Tbs cake flour then 1/4 cup all-purpose)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla ( I used vanilla bean paste)
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1/2 cup butter, melted + 2 Tbs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 cups peeled & chopped Granny Smith apples
- 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 3 Tbs apple cider (up to a cup if condensing to make flavor stronger)
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F (if using non-stick or dark pan, preheat to 375 degrees F). Butter & flour 24 3 1/2 -ounce cake molds or 2 12-cup cupcake tins and set aside. ( I used the Pillsbury flour and butter spray mix).
- Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and cardamom together and set aside. (I use an egg whisk for this and it works perfectly every time.)
- Here is where I have made a change and it does make a difference if you will do this with the zest and sugar: Rub the lemon zest and sugar together with fingers until the sugar becomes damp (this distributes the flavor throughout the cake evenly and really makes a difference).
- Beat the eggs and sugar mixture together, using a mixer set on medium-high speed, until the mixture forms a thick ribbon when the beaters are lifted from the bowl. Reduce speed to low and mix in the vanilla & applesauce. Add 1/2 cup of the melted butter and sour cream and beat until combined. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until smooth.
- Fold in apples and divide the batter among the prepared molds (about 1/4 cup per mold) (If using the petits four pan, about 1 Tbs per mold). Bake until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake tests clean -- 20 to 25 minutes for cupcake pan or 12-15 minutes for petit four pan.
- Cool for 5 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Unmold the cakes and cool completely on the rack.
- FOR ICING: if you would like a stronger cider flavor, boil a cup of cider until it condenses to 3 Tbs. Stir the remaining melted butter, confectioner's sugar, and apple cider together in a medium bowl and drizzle over the cooled cakes and let the icing set before serving. Another version of icing I tried was to use 3 ounces of cream cheese and a cup of the confectioner's sugar, no butter, and the condensed apple cider. This was less sweet and very good as well.
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