These gorgeous mini cakes are packed with sweet and smokey maple essence and crunchy toasted pecans. They are deliciously soft and moist, and easier to make than they look. This shortcut recipe uses a cake mix and beautifully designed cake pan to make entertaining this fall a breeze.

A plate of maple pecan mini cakes.

Why this recipe is so great:

All you need is the Nordic Ware Woodland Cakelet Pan and Maple Pecan Quick Bread Mix to make these cute little cakes. Then dip the cakes in chocolate or a simple glaze (or both) and you’ve got yourself an elegant and fun little dessert. I dipped my acorns and pinecones in some semi-sweet chocolate and topped them with gold sprinkles. The leaves I dipped in a maple glaze to enhance the lovely maple flavour of the cakes.

The Nordic Ware pan is heavy-duty and made with durable cast-aluminum to ensure perfectly even baking and browning while the premium nonstick finish guarantees easy release and cleanup. For the baking mix, all you need to add is butter, milk, and eggs. The batter comes together so easily and bakes up soft, moist, and full of sweet maple aroma. Both adults and kids alike will love these little cakelets and they only take 15 minutes to bake.

Maple pecan cakelets covered in chocolate and glaze on a cooling rack.

How to decorate the cakelets:

  • Chocolate – Melt the baking chocolate in the microwave in 15-second increments, stirring in between, until all the chocolate is melted. Use a small cake decorating brush to paint the chocolate on the cakes as desired. You can also use a butter knife to spread the chocolate on. Top with sprinkles or finely chopped pecans. You can even match the colour of the sprinkles to the season or holiday to make it fun and festive.
  • Glaze – Stir the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and milk/cream together in a small shallow bowl until smooth. Dip the cakelets face down into the glaze. Wipe the excess glaze against the edge of the bowl. Place the cakelets on a wire rack for about 15 minutes for the glaze to dry.

A plate of Nordic Ware Woodland cakelets.

Enjoy these delicious maple pecan cakelets with your family and friends this upcoming holiday. They will be delighted by these elegant and tasty little cakes. And happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours!

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Maple Pecan Cakelets

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Lily Ernst
  • Prep Time: 25 min
  • Cook Time: 15 min
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 18 cakelets
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: bake
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

These gorgeous mini cakes are packed with sweet and smokey maple essence and crunchy toasted pecans. They are deliciously soft and moist, and easier to make than they look.

Ingredients

Cakelets

  • 1 pkg Williams Sonoma Maple Pecan Quick Bread
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup (250ml) milk, room temperature
  • 2 large eggs

Toppings

  • 2 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate, finely chopped
  • gold sprinkles or finely chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • 3–4 tsp milk or cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease the cakelet pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cake mix, melted butter, and milk. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition until the batter is smooth.
  3. Spoon the batter into the cavities of the prepared pan, leaving 1/2 cm space at the top. Gently tap the pan on towel covered counter to settle the batter into details and remove air bubbles.
  4. Bake for 15 minutes or a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes come out clean. Let cakes cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
  5. Wipe the pan clean, grease, and repeat with the remaining batter.

How to decorate:

  • Chocolate – Melt the baking chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for 15-seconds at a time, stirring in between, until all the chocolate is melted. Use a small cake decorating brush to paint the chocolate on the cakes as desired. You can also use a butter knife to spread the chocolate on. Top with sprinkles or finely chopped pecans. You can even match the colour of the sprinkles to the season or holiday to make things fun. Let stand for 15 minutes for the chocolate to set.
  • Glaze – Stir the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and milk/cream together in a small shallow bowl until smooth. Dip the cakelets face down into the glaze. Wipe the excess glaze against the edge of the bowl. Place the cakelets on a wire rack for about 15 minutes for the glaze to dry.

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

How to make in advance – You can make the cakelets up to one day in advance, store in an airtight container at room temperature, and finish with the chocolate and/or glaze a couple of hours before serving.

How to freeze – Once the cakes are completely cooled, place in the freezer on a cookie sheet for about an hour until frozen solid. Then transfer into a freezer-friendly container or ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight on the counter and cover with chocolate and/or glaze a couple of hours before serving.