Apple Cider Cakes

Makes 8 small bundt cakes or 16 mini bundt cakes

Adapted from Sunday Suppers

FOR THE CAKES
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose
1/2 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of kosher salt
1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp of freshly ground cardamom
3/4 cup of good olive oil
1 tsp of real vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of apple cider
1/2 cup of applesauce (recipe below)

FOR THE TOPPING

1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon

MAKE THE CAKES
Preheat oven to 375°F and thoroughly grease a mini bundt cake pan.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom in a large mixing bowl.

Add the olive oil, vanilla extract, cider, and applesauce to another large bowl and mix together.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring with a large spoon until thoroughly incorporated. Fill the bundt cake tins about 3/4 of the way and bake for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

While the cakes are baking, mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.

When the cakes are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Carefully remove them from the pan and roll them in the sugar-cinnamon mixture.

Clean pan and repeat if there is more batter left.

FOR THE APPLESAUCE
Mix of apples (depending on how much applesauce you want to make)
Cinnamon sticks, ginger, cloves, nutmeg
1/8 to 1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 425°F. Core apples and peel. Add the apples to a large oven safe vessel.

Pour in a tiny amount of water to keep the apples from burning on the bottom before they start to soften. Use no more than a ¼ cup water. You just want to barely cover the bottom of your cooking vessel. Add whole cinnamon sticks, ginger, or ground spices.

Roast for 30 to 45 minutes until apples are soft. The apple should easily smash with the back of a spoon. Mash apples with a food processor.

Serve warm or refrigerate for up to 5 days.