Pumpkin Apple Cakes
Adapted from a recipe by Jürgen Krauss
16 mini cakes
Prof BB Autumn Spice Mix:
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
Cakes:
4 medium “Honeycrisp” apples
One recipe Prof BB Autumn Spice Mix
1 1/3 cup granulated sugar (plus an additional 1/2 cup for apples)
18 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla paste
6 large eggs, room temperature
2 Tbsp buttermilk
½ cup pumpkin puree
3 ½ cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare two mini cake pans (8 cakes each) with baking spray and parchment paper.
2) In a medium bowl, whisk together your dry mix: the flour, baking powder, salt and 1 Tbsp of the spice mix. Set aside.
3) In a large bowl, mix ½ cup granulated sugar with the remaining spice mix. Quarter and core the apples. Make about 5-6 “slashes” lengthwise through the skin of the apples. Add the apples to the bowl and toss with your hands. Toss again occasionally while you complete the rest of the batter.
4) In a standing mixer, cream together the 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar and the butter, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the vanilla paste and mix to incorporate. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix to fully incorporate. Add the pumpkin and mix to fully incorporate. Add half the dry mix, then the buttermilk and then the remaining dry mix. Remove from the mixer and do the final folding of the batter by hand.
5) Portion the batter into the prepared pans (roughly ½ cup per cake). Toss the apples one last time and then slightly press one quarter into the top of each mini cake. Bake for 25-27 minutes until the cake is golden and solid to the touch. Cool at least ½ hour before serving – the apples will be HOT!
6) I serve the cakes as is, but you could brush the tops with jam while still warm or dust the tops with confectionary sugar.
