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Mini Apple Cake – Authentic apple cake layers with a spiced apple filling and frosted in a brown butter cream cheese frosting. Mini size for a small gathering!
These Mini Apple Cake is the perfect way to celebrate the autumn season. With layers of moist apple cake, a rich apple filling, and a decadent brown butter frosting, these little cakes pack all the flavors of a classic apple pie into a mini bundt cake. Whether you’re enjoying it with your morning coffee or serving them at fall parties, this mini cakes are sure to be a hit. Plus, they’re an easy recipe that you can whip up in no time!
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- Perfect Size: This mini apple cakes is the perfect size for individual servings or small servings, making them ideal for gatherings or a quick treat with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Rich Apple Flavor: Made with fresh apples and apple sauce, these cakes have a deep, authentic apple flavor that pairs beautifully with the brown butter frosting.
- Great for Fall Parties: These cakes are a perfect recipe for autumn season events, from casual get-togethers to more formal fall parties.
- Versatile: Serve them as snacking cakes slices, or with a drizzle of caramel sauce for an extra step of indulgence.
Ingredients
Here are some ingredients that you will need for this Mini Apple Cake that you may not have on hand. For a complete list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Granny Smith apples – I like to use these because they are more tart!
- Brown sugar – You can use brown or light!
- Unsweetened applesauce (room temperature) – Make sure that it is unsweetened because you don’t want to add anymore sugar!
- Apple cider (room temperature) – I buy simply apple because they have it year around!
- Vegetable oil – Any neutral flavored oil will do!
- Eggs (room temperature) – I like to use large or extra large!
- All-purpose flour – I have found that unbleached always works the best in baked desserts, but that isn’t always affordable or even accessible, so use whatever all purpose flour that is available to you!
- Ground cinnamon
- Unsalted butter (for frosting)
- Cream cheese (room temperature)
Step-by-Step Instructions – Mini Apple Cake
For the Apple Filling:
- In a medium mixing bowl, toss granny smith apples with lemon juice, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
- Cook the apple mixture over medium heat until the apples soften and release their juices.
- Create a slurry with cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl, then stir it into the apples to thicken the filling.
- Let the apple filling cool to room temperature before using.
For the Apple Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Spray mini bundt pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder.
- In another large bowl, whisk together the sugars and vegetable oil until well combined.
- Add the eggs, applesauce, and vanilla extract, mixing at low speed until smooth.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined to form the cake batter.
- Divide batter evenly into the prepared mini bundt cake pans.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a wire rack.
For the Brown Butter Frosting:
- Brown the unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until golden brown, watching closely to prevent burning.
- Beat the browned butter and cream cheese together in a stand mixer until creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Mix until smooth, adjusting the consistency with more cream if needed.
Assembly:
- Once the mini apple cakes are cool, spread a layer of brown butter frosting over the top of each cake.
- Spoon the apple filling onto the center of the cakes.
- If desired, you can add the extra apple filling to the top of the cake or serve it on the side!
Tips and Tricks – Mini Apple Cake
- Mise en Place: Prepare all ingredients ahead of time to streamline the process.
- Choose the Right Apples: Granny Smith apples are ideal for this recipe due to their firm texture and tart flavor. If you prefer a sweeter apple, Honeycrisp or Gala are great alternatives.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your eggs, applesauce, apple cider, and cream cheese are at room temperature before mixing. This helps the ingredients blend more smoothly, resulting in a more even cake batter and frosting.
- Properly Brown the Butter: Browning butter can be tricky; keep a close eye on it as it can go from brown to burnt quickly. Stir constantly, and once you smell a nutty aroma and see the butter turn golden brown, remove it from the heat immediately.
- Avoid Overmixing: When combining the wet and dry ingredients, gently fold them together just until the flour is incorporated. Overmixing can lead to dense cakes instead of the light and fluffy texture you want.
- Perfect Consistency: If your frosting is too thick, add a little more cream until it’s just right.
Recommended Tools
- 6 inch cake pans
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Stand mixer
- Offset spatula
- Wire rack
FAQs Mini Apple Cake
- Can I use a different type of apple? Yes, honeycrisp or gala apples work well for this recipe.
- How should I store these cakes? Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- How can I make the frosting less sweet? If you prefer a less sweet frosting, reduce the amount of powdered sugar, and add a bit more cream cheese to balance the sweetness. You can also add a pinch of salt to cut through the sweetness.
- Can I freeze the cakes with the frosting on? It’s better to freeze the cakes without the frosting. Wrap the cooled cakes tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and frost them before serving.
- How long does the brown butter frosting last? The brown butter frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Before using, bring it to room temperature and re-whip it to restore its creamy texture.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
- Storing: Keep this apple mini cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let them come to room temperature before serving.
- Freezing: You can freeze the cakes without frosting. Wrap each cake individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and frost before serving.
FOR MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS ONE, HERE ARE SOME!
- The Most Spectacular Fall Biscoff Apple Cake
- Greatest Cinnamon Apple Fritter Bread Recipe
- Fall’s Best Caramel Apple Cake
- The Most Spectacular Fall Biscoff Apple Cake
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Recipe
Mini Apple Cake
Authentic apple cake layers with a spiced apple filling and frosted in a brown butter cream cheese frosting. Mini size for a small gathering!
Ingredients
For the Apple Filling:
- 3 large apples thinly sliced Granny Smith apples work well
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- A pinch of salt about ⅛ teaspoon
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup cold water
For the Cake:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce at room temperature
- ½ cup apple cider at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
For the Brown Butter Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 5-6 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
For the Apple Filling:
- In a bowl, combine the thinly sliced apples, lemon juice, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Toss until the apples are evenly coated.3 large apples thinly sliced, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, A pinch of salt about ⅛ teaspoon
- Place the apple mixture in a medium to large pot over medium-high heat. Slowly bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- In a separate small bowl, create a slurry by mixing 2 tablespoons cornstarch with ¼ cup cold water. Set it aside.2 tablespoons cornstarch, ¼ cup cold water
- As the apples release liquid and begin to soften, add the slurry to the mixture while stirring constantly. The mixture should thicken within about 30 seconds to a consistency where it can hold together when lifted with a spoon. If needed, prepare a bit more slurry to reach the desired thickness.
- Once thickened, remove the apple mixture from heat and transfer it to a container. Let it cool down to room temperature. The filling can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
For the apple cake
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Spray two 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray, line with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder. Set this dry mixture aside.1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¾ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons baking powder
- In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Whisk by hand for about 1 minute until well combined.½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar packed, ½ cup vegetable oil
- Add the eggs to the sugar mixture and continue to mix until combined. Add the vanilla extract, apple cider and applesauce, and mix just until combined.2 eggs at room temperature, ½ cup unsweetened applesauce at room temperature, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ cup apple cider at room temperature
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold the mixture together until evenly combined and there are no flour streaks. Be careful not to overmix.
- Evenly distribute the batter into the prepared cake pans. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out the batter for even baking.
- Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. While the cakes are cooling, make the brown butter frosting.
For the brown butter frosting
- In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the butter foams, the milk solids separate, and the butter begins to brown and emit a nutty aroma. Watch closely to prevent burning. Once browned, remove from heat, transfer to a glass bowl, and let it cool completely to room temperature.½ cup unsalted butter
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the browned butter and room temperature cream cheese. Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, starting with 5 cups, then add the vanilla extract, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt. Mix on low speed until just combined, then increase to medium speed and beat for an additional 2 minutes. If the frosting is too thick, add more cream or powdered sugar to achieve the desired consistency.5-6 cups powdered sugar, 1-2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, Pinch of salt
Assembly:
- Place a small dollop of frosting in the center of your cake board to act as glue. Place the first cake layer, top side up, on the cake board. Spread about ½ cup of frosting evenly over the top. With a piping bag or a ziplock bag, pipe a rim around the edge of the cake.
- Apply the cooled apple filling and, with the back of a spoon, evenly spread it across the top of the cake. Get eye level with it to ensure it’s even.
- Place the second cake layer, top side down, on top of the frosting. Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over the entire cake to lock in any crumbs. Freeze the cake for 10-15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
- Frost the cake with the remaining brown butter frosting, ensuring smooth, even coverage. Use a cake comb to achieve the sides or frost it however you like. Top with extra apple filling if desired. Serve the cake at room temperature.
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