Mini Apple Cider Skull Cakes

These Mini Apple Cider Skull Cakes are the perfect combination of cozy fall flavors and spooky Halloween fun! Made with apple cider and warm spices, these soft, moist mini cakes are full of delicious apple cider doughnut flavor. Baked in an adorable skull-shaped pan, they're a festive and fun treat for all your Halloween festivities.

Each cakelet is brushed with melted butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar for even more delicious flavor.

A FEW NOTES BEFORE WE GET STARTED

• Room Temperature Ingredients:
  • Eggs: You want to make sure that the eggs are at room temperature to ensure that they are properly incorporated into your batter. If you forget to leave them out before you start baking, place them in a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes until they become room temperature.
• Measuring Your Ingredients: I strongly encourage that you use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients and ensure that you have the most accurate measurements possible.
  • However, if you don’t have a scale on hand and will be using cup measurements, make sure to use the “spoon and sweep” method when measuring to avoid packing in too much of any dry ingredient.
• Oven Temperature: Make sure to preheat your oven for at least 15 minutes before you start baking.
  • I recommend purchasing an oven thermometer to get to know your oven so you can adjust your baking temperatures accordingly. Some ovens run slightly warmer or colder so its important to know yours to make sure your baked goods come out right.

Add apple cider to a pan and heat over medium heat until it's reduced down to 60 grams (¼ cup). Transfer cider to a bowl and let cool completely at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 325°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices and set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, mix both sugars, oil, and applesauce on medium-high until combined.

Add 25 grams of beaten egg, followed by the vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl with your spatula as needed. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture and apple cider and mix just until combined.

Coat a Skull Bites Cakelet pan with pan spray. Use a cookie scoop to evenly divide the batter. Gently tap the pan on the counter to avoid air bubbles. Bake for 15–17 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool for a few minutes on a cooling rack before gently topping the pan with a cooling rack and turning them out. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.

Let the cakelets cool slightly before brushing the top and sides with melted butter. Dip each cakelet in the bowl of cinnamon sugar until it's fully covered. You can gently use a toothpick to remove excess cinnamon sugar from the eyes of the skull so the face is well defined. Enjoy!

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