DIRECTIONS

1. Heat your oven to 350°F. Spray the mini cake pan with cooking spray and dust with flour. Set aside.

2. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the Kodiak Cakes Buttermilk Power Cakes, ground cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.

4. In a bowl of an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. About 2-3 minutes, until no brown sugar lumps remain.

5. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the applesauce. Mix until combined.

6. With the mixer on low, add half of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the whole milk. Mix for about 20 seconds and scrape down the bowl. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and the remaining milk, mixing until just combined.

7. With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the chopped apples.

8. Using a spoon or ice cream scooper, fill each mold 2/3 of the way. Give the pan a little shake to help the batter settle.

9. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

10. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes while you make the glaze.

11. In a medium bowl, whisk the glaze ingredients together. If the glaze is too thick, add more half and half, 1/2 teaspoon at a time.

12. Turn the cake pan upside down onto the wire rack. While the cakes are still warm, dip them top down into the glaze, about halfway through. Place them back on the baking rack and let the excess glaze drip down. The glaze will set in 20-30 minutes.

13. While the glaze is setting, make your place cards.

Making the Place Cards 

1. Using a calligraphy pen, write a guest name on each kraft tag, leaving 1/2” border on the left side.

2. Take a toothpick and fold the left side of the kraft paper around the toothpick, so it resembles a flag. Tape or glue the backside, tightly, so the toothpick is secure.

3. Insert each flag place card into a mini cake with the guest’s name facing out. Place the cakes on your guests’ plate.

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, sift together the Kodiak Cakes mix, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. About 3-5 minutes.
3. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla, one at a time. Mix well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl when needed.
4. Slowly add the dry mixture with the mixer on low speed. Mix until just combined.
5. Divide the dough in half and flatten into a disk. Wrap separately in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
6. Preheat your oven to 375°F and adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. Take one disk of dough and place on a well-floured surface. Roll the dough to 3/8” thick. Don’t roll any thinner as it will cause your cookies to spread.
8. Begin cutting out shapes with cookie cutters, trying to fit as many as possible. Using a large flat spatula, transfer the cookies to parchment lined cookie sheets, about 2″ apart.
9. When baking sheets are filled, bake for 8 minutes, or until lightly browned. Reverse the cookie sheets halfway through.
10. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.
11. Repeat steps with the remaining disk of chilled dough. Allow the cookies to cool completely before frosting. While cooking, make the icing.

Making the Icing

1. With a handheld mixer or electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the ingredients together on high speed for about 5 minutes until it thickens.
2. Pull the whisk attachment up and allow some of the icing to drizzle down. If the icing settles smoothly into the rest within 10 seconds, it’s the right consistency. If the icing is too runny add more powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. If it’s too thick add more water 1 teaspoon at a time.
3. Separate the icing into bowls to add your color. Add the color in one drop at a time — a little goes a long way. Cover each bowl with plastic wrap or a damp paper towel until you’re ready to use. To avoid air bubbles on your cookies, let the icing sit for 10 minutes before using to allow the air to rise to the surface. Lightly stir the icing to release the bubbles.

Decorating the Cookies

1. Using scissors, cut the tips off the plastic piping bags. Insert the #2 tips securely into the opening. Fill the bags with desired colors, twisting the tops to prevent the icing from running out.
2. For a defined design, decorate in stages, leaving 20 minutes for drying in between each stage. This keeps the icing from running together on the cookie.
3. Use the toothpicks as a tool to evenly distribute the icing and push out any air bubbles.
4. To create a marbled effect, apply multiple colors on the cookie, one right after the other, and use a toothpick to swirl the colors together.
5. Allow the cookies to dry for 3 hours before adding the guest name. To write the name, use the #1 piping tip.
6. Let the cookies dry overnight before using.
7. Place each decorated cookie on a guest’s plate or napkin.

DIRECTIONS

1. Line 2 baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the Kodiak Cakes mix, Nutella, honey, and water. Using a wooden spoon, stir until the mixture comes together. Working with 1 tablespoon at a time, roll the mixture into balls. Place the balls on one of the baking sheets and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge while you’re setting up the candy mold.

3. In a microwave safe bowl, heat the chocolate with 1 teaspoon of Crisco for 25 seconds. The Crisco makes the chocolate softer to bite into and creates a nice shiny sheen. Stir the chocolate. Heat for another 20 seconds. Stir until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth.

4. Place the candy mold on the other baking sheet. Using a spoon, fill the compartments of the candy mold about halfway up with chocolate. Using a pastry brush, brush the melted chocolate up the sides, fully coating the interior, making sure there is still chocolate coating the bottom. Set the remaining chocolate aside.

5. Chill the coated candy mold for 20 minutes, or until the chocolate is set.

6. Remove the candy mold and the protein balls from the fridge. Place a protein ball into each candy mold compartment. Press down lightly to make room for another chocolate coat.

7. If needed, reheat the remaining chocolate for 10 to 15 seconds. Spoon the chocolate over each compartment till it creates an even surface with the mold. Tap the mold down lightly on the baking sheet to help the chocolate settle around the protein ball filling. If needed, add more chocolate.

8. Chill the candy mold for another 20 minutes, or until the chocolate is set.

9. Gently, turn the candy mold upside down onto the baking sheet. Push each chocolate pop out of the mold, being careful not to chip them. Let them sit at room temperature while you make the place cards.

MAKING THE PLACE CARDS

1. Using a toothpick, create a hole on the bottom of each chocolate mold. Twist and turn the toothpick, applying pressure, so as not to break or chip the chocolate. Remove the toothpick and replace it with a candy stick.

2. Using a calligraphy pen, write each guest’s name on a tag.

3. Attach the name tag onto the stick with rope twine or ribbon.

4. Place each chocolate pop on a guest’s plate or napkin.