Honey Gingerbread Cakes with Caramel Apple Topping

Steps

• 1

  Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 12 regular-size muffin cups. In large bowl, stir together flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, the baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the cloves. With spoon or wire whisk, stir in remaining cake ingredients until well blended. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
• 2

  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on cooling rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan; carefully remove paper baking cups from cakes.
• 3

  Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium-high heat. Stir in 1 cup brown sugar, the apples and dash of salt; cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until brown sugar is dissolved and mixture boils. Boil 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until apples are tender and syrup thickens. Stir in whipping cream. Return to boiling; boil 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and apples look glazed. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
• 4

  To serve, cut cakes in half horizontally. Place bottom halves on small dessert plates; spoon a heaping tablespoon topping over each bottom half. Add tops of cakes; spoon a heaping tablespoon topping on top of each, letting topping run down sides and onto plates.