Ready to add a new favorite to your fall foods? Caramel apples are adored kids and grownups, so I decided to make a mini cupcake sized cake that looks just like a caramel apple. These sure to add a fun twist to your fall harvest party or Halloween bash; don't tell your guests they're really cakes, and see how they react when they bite into these delicious Caramel Apple Mini-Cakes.

Ingredients

• Wilton Mini Wonder Pan
• yellow cake mix (and accompanying ingredients required to make the batter) or your favorite yellow cake recipe
• 1 apple
• 2 14-ounce bags of caramels
• 10 wooden sticks
• chopped nuts, candies, and/or sprinkles
• 10 cupcake wrappers
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

1.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2.
Mix up the cake according to the recipe or box instructions. One box of cake mix will make about 10 - 12 mini cakes.
3.
Peel, core, and chop the apple into small pieces.
4.
Fold the apple pieces into the batter after the cake is mixed.

5.
Add a tablespoon of cinnamon to the cake mixture for even more fall flavor. (This is optional.)
6.
Spray the Wilton Mini Wonder Pan with non-stick cooking spray.
7.
Fill each cavity 2/3 full with cake batter, then slide the pan in the oven.

8.
Bake the mini cakes for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9.
Once the cakes are baked, turn them out onto a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.
10.
When the cakes are cooled, have an adult level the flat side of each mini cake with a serrated knife.
11.
Leave the cakes round side up on the cooling rack, and place the cooling rack over a large baking sheet, or cake pan.
12.
Melt the caramels according to the package directions in a medium bowl.
13.
Once the caramels are melted, have an adult dip the mini cakes into the hot caramel until all the round parts are coated. Avoid dipping the flat, cut side of the cakes into the caramel or you'll get crumbs.

NOTE: Be very careful you don't burn your fingers, the caramel will be hot!

14.
Place the crushed candies, nuts, or sprinkles in a shallow bowl. Dip the tops of the caramel coated cakes into your choice of toppings. You may also just leave them plain if you prefer them that way.
15.
Return the dipped cakes to the cooling rack, cut side down. The excess caramel will flow through the cooling rack onto the baking sheet or pan to be cleaned up later. You can also set the mini cakes on wax paper to cool once they're dipped, if you don't have a cooling rack.

16.
Once the caramel has had time to cool, use a spatula to remove the cakes from the cooling rack or wax paper. Place the caramel apple cakes on top of flattened cupcake wraps for display.
17.
Insert a wooden stick into the top of each cake.
18.
Line the caramel apple mini cakes up on a tray, and serve them right alongside some real caramel apples for a fun twist.

Tips

If you don't have the wonder mold you can still make caramel apple mini cakes with a regular cupcake pan. Just spread the caramel on top of the cupcake, sprinkle with your favorite candy, nuts or sprinkles, add the stick and you're done.