Apple Cider Cake Skulls

This is one of my favorite cakes to make this time of year! When you have cute cake molds, you need a cake that doesn’t need a frosting so you don’t cover up the design. I found this cute skull mold earlier this year - Pearl’s favorite holiday is Halloween - so I had to buy it when I found it!

This cake can be made in any shape. I usually choose a regular round cake mold. But you can change it up for the holiday. I hear there are turkey molds so this could be darling for Thanksgiving too.

APPLE CIDER CAKE

½ cup butter, room temperature

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ½ cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

½ cup apple cider

½ cup chopped apple

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons apple cider

STEP 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the skull mold cake pans and dust them with flour. It’s super important to flour the pans when there are details like this!

In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, and spices.  Set aside.

STEP 2

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugars.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Whip together until it lightens slightly in color (about 1 minute).

STEP 3

Add half the flour to the sugar mixture in the stand mixer.  Stir until just barely combined.

STEP 4

Pour in apple cider and mix.  Add remaining flour and stir until just barely combined then incorporate the apples.

STEP 5

Pour the mixture into a greased 9-inch round pan.  Pop into the oven and bake 35 minutes – or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool. Mix together the powdered sugar and cider - then pour it over the top of the cake slowly and let it drip off the sides.

---