Vegan Spiced Apple Mochi Cakes
with Miso Caramel and Walnuts
Lightly spiced, apple-flecked cakes with slightly chewy texture comes from sweet rice flour, a typical ingredient in many Asian sweets. Topped with miso caramel, toasted walnuts and whipped cream, this dessert fires on all flavor and texture cylinders—but the buttery cakes are totally snackable on their own, too.Ingredients
Miso Caramel Sauce
½ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla
Pinch salt
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons light-color corn syrup or brown rice syrup
2 tablespoons water
¼ cup diced cold butter
1 tablespoon white miso
Spiced Apple Mochi Cakes
5 tablespoons butter, divided, plus extra for greasing muffin cups
1 cup sugar, plus extra for coating muffin cups
2 medium baking apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped (2 cups)
2 teaspoons cinnamon, plus extra for garnish
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ¾ cups sweet rice flour, such as Mochiko
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
Sweetened whipped cream
Finely chopped walnuts, toasted
Directions
Miso Caramel Sauce
In a measuring cup, combine cream, vanilla and salt; set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and the water. Stir gently over low just until sugar dissolves, being careful not to splash sugar up sides of pan. Increase heat to bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium. Boil gently until mixture is an evenly deep amber color and smells nutty, 8 to 12 minutes, shaking pan occasionally. (Do not stir, to avoid crystallization.) Remove from heat; stir in butter and miso until well combined. Stir in cream mixture. Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely to room temperature.
Spiced Apple Mochi Cakes
Preheat oven to 375°. Generously butter 18 (2 1/2-inch) muffin cups, then sprinkle with sugar to coat well. Shake out excess sugar.
In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high. Add apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves; cook until apples are tender, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Add vanilla and the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, stirring until butter melts. Remove from heat and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine rice flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, beat eggs and 1 cup sugar with a mixer on medium until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to egg mixture, beating on low until just combined. Fold in cooled apple mixture.
Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each prepared muffin cup. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pans 2 to 3 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack. Serve cakes slightly warm, garnished with whipped cream, Miso Caramel Sauce, walnuts and a dash of cinnamon.
½ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla
Pinch salt
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons light-color corn syrup or brown rice syrup
2 tablespoons water
¼ cup diced cold butter
1 tablespoon white miso
Spiced Apple Mochi Cakes
5 tablespoons butter, divided, plus extra for greasing muffin cups
1 cup sugar, plus extra for coating muffin cups
2 medium baking apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped (2 cups)
2 teaspoons cinnamon, plus extra for garnish
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ¾ cups sweet rice flour, such as Mochiko
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
Sweetened whipped cream
Finely chopped walnuts, toasted
Directions
Miso Caramel Sauce
In a measuring cup, combine cream, vanilla and salt; set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and the water. Stir gently over low just until sugar dissolves, being careful not to splash sugar up sides of pan. Increase heat to bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium. Boil gently until mixture is an evenly deep amber color and smells nutty, 8 to 12 minutes, shaking pan occasionally. (Do not stir, to avoid crystallization.) Remove from heat; stir in butter and miso until well combined. Stir in cream mixture. Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely to room temperature.
Spiced Apple Mochi Cakes
Preheat oven to 375°. Generously butter 18 (2 1/2-inch) muffin cups, then sprinkle with sugar to coat well. Shake out excess sugar.
In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high. Add apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves; cook until apples are tender, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Add vanilla and the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, stirring until butter melts. Remove from heat and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine rice flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, beat eggs and 1 cup sugar with a mixer on medium until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to egg mixture, beating on low until just combined. Fold in cooled apple mixture.
Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each prepared muffin cup. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pans 2 to 3 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack. Serve cakes slightly warm, garnished with whipped cream, Miso Caramel Sauce, walnuts and a dash of cinnamon.
Yield:
18 cakes and 1.25 cups sauce
Storage Tip: Store cakes in the refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Warm in a 375° oven 10 to 15 minutes.
18 cakes and 1.25 cups sauce
Storage Tip: Store cakes in the refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Warm in a 375° oven 10 to 15 minutes.
