Maple Acorn Cakelets

Recipe Courtesy of Nordic Ware with Permission.

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon maple flavoring
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Frosting:

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons milk

Glaze:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1-2 tablespoons water
• coarse raw sugar

Prep & Instructions:

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour pan; set aside.

To make the cakelets:

• In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg; set aside.
• In a liquid measuring cup, stir together milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and maple flavoring; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, beat butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs, scraping the bowl often.
• Reduce speed and blend in flour mixture, alternating with milk mixture, until all ingredients have been incorporated.
• Spoon 1 tablespoon of batter into each well of the pan. Set aside the remaining batter.
• Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes in the pan.
• Using a serrated knife, cut off the portion of the cakelet that rose above the pan.
• Invert the cakes onto a cooling rack.
• Wash, dry, and prepare the pan as before, and repeat the procedure with the remaining batter.

To make the frosting:

• In a medium bowl, beat the ingredients together on medium speed, adding additional milk as needed until the frosting is light and fluffy.
• Cover the frosting and set aside.

To make the glaze:

• In a small bowl, stir together the glaze ingredients, adding additional water until the glaze is smooth and has the consistency of heavy cream.
• Using a pastry brush, brush the glaze on the acorn cakelet tops and dip them in coarse raw sugar.
• Set the cakelets on waxed paper for 1 hour to dry.

To assemble:

• Spread 1 tablespoon of frosting on the flat side of a cakelet.
• Place a second cakelet, flat side down, on top of the frosted cakelet.
• Set aside and repeat with the remaining cakelets.

Makes 18 assembled cakelets or 36 individual cakelets.