Baked Caramel Apple Funnel Cake with M&M’s® Pecan Pie Chocolate Sauce

This Baked Funnel Cake recipe has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BakeInTheFun #CollectiveBias

Around here, the weather is not merging from the Summer heat to the crisp Fall season very gracefully. Between the freezing mornings and blistering afternoon heat waves, it’s more like Mother Nature is mashing two Play Dough colors together and seeing what happens.

You see, my brain (and calendar) know it’s almost Fall, but the warm midday temps make me want a trip to the beach and carnival food. I had a chance to try out the new M&M’s® Pecan Pie in a recipe that merges a Summertime favorite with traditional Fall flavors.

With my work schedule, I missed most of the local fairs and carnivals this season. Which means I missed out on all the overpriced, deep fried goodies that go along with it. I recently found out how to make funnel cake at home using pancake mix, which has made everyone in this household ecstatic.

So while we were at Walmart a few nights ago to get more funnel cake supplies – yes, I needed more already – I noticed they were setting up some of their seasonal displays.

And by noticed, I mean I totally stalked them and got in their way. Apparently they had just started working on end caps that had to be finished by the next morning . . . and I made that slightly more difficult by poking around at what was already set up.

We picked up some Snapple® Apple and Mott’s® Apple Juice for the house, but what really caught my eye was what we found in the baking section: Pillsbury™ Moist Supreme® Cake Mix and Pillsbury™ Creamy Supreme® Cream Cheese Icing in Caramel Apple, Perfectly Pumpkin, and Cinnamon Bun, and M&M’s® Pecan Pie, a Walmart exclusive.

Holy yum.

I swapped the pancake mix for the Caramel Apple cake mix and after a quick stop in the produce section for apples and mint, headed home with visions of glorious caramel apple and pecan funnel cakes.

Unfortunately, cake mix doesn’t hold up to a traditional deep fryer very well. So my original plan of crispy swirled deep fried doughy goodness was almost a moot point . . . until Professor Google informed me that there are other ways of making funnel cake. Who knew?

After my first failed attempt, I followed instructions for a batter like a pate choux, and baked the funnel cakes in the oven. Slightly different look and shape, but overall, a success!

In a large skillet, heat a 1/2 cup of butter with 1 cup of Mott’s® Apple Juice. Once it’s boiling, add in 1 cup of Pillsbury™ Moist Supreme Caramel Apple cake mix, stirring continuously until the dough can be formed into a ball. Remove from the heat and let the dough cool, about 5-10 minutes.

Once cool, add 4 eggs to the mix, one at a time.

Spoon the dough into a piping bag or a large plastic bag, snipping a small hole in the corner. On a well greased cookie sheet, pipe the dough in circular motions. We learned a little too late that, while it looks pretty to have the piping close together, it will puff up as it bakes and will look more like pancakes and you’ll loose the swirl pattern.

Bake the funnel cakes at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until golden brown, flipping once halfway through. Place cakes on a cooling rack and dust liberally with powdered sugar.

While the funnel cakes are baking, core and dice two medium apples (about 2 cups). Cook over medium heat with 1/4 cup of Mott’s® Apple Juice, 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar, and a tablespoon of finely chopped fresh mint. Simmer until apples are tender.

Before finishing assembling the funnel cakes, in a microwave safe dish, heat 1/2 cup of M&M’s® Pecan Pie with a splash of milk, in 15 second intervals. Take the time to stir the sauce really well in between heating, to melt the coating without scalding the chocolate. Or just melt it till you run out of patience and eat the pieces that don’t melt. Same thing.

The M&M’s® Pecan Pie have a rich flavor and compliments the caramel and mint flavors really well. (We thought they taste more like coffee, so even if you don’t think you’re a fan of pecans, you should give them a try!)

To finish everything up, assemble your baked funnel cakes and apple topping and liberally spoon the M&M’s® Pecan Pie chocolate sauce on top. Serve immediately.

To turn dessert into the highlight of the table, I paired the dish with some ice cold Mott’s® Apple Juice in mason jars, my homemade jams, and the rest of the apples I bought, and rounded everything out with a small haybale, a red plaid table runner, and some little pumpkins from Walmart’s seasonal and craft aisles.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Baked Caramel Apple Funnel Cake with M&M’s® Pecan Pie Chocolate Sauce

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the Funnel Cakes:

• 1 cup Pillsbury™ Moist Supreme® Caramel Apple cake mix
• 1 cup Mott’s® Apple Juice
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 4 large eggs
• Powdered Sugar (optional)

For the Apple Mint Topping:

• 2 apples, cored and diced
• ¼ cup Mott’s® Apple Juice
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced

For the M&M's® Pecan Pie Chocolate Sauce:

• ½ cup M&M's® Pecan Pie
• 1 - 2 tbsp milk

Instructions

Funnel Cakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large skillet, bring butter and apple juice to a boil. Add 1 cup cake mix, stirring continuously until the dough can be formed into a ball. Remove from the heat and let the dough cool, about 5-10 minutes.
3. Once cool, add 4 eggs, one at a time, stirring well to incorporate in between
4. Spoon dough into piping bag or plastic baggie, snipping the end off of one corner
5. Pipe dough in circular motions on a well greased cookie sheet
6. Bake funnel cakes for 10 minutes, flip and continue baking for another 10 minutes or until golden brown
7. Cool on a rack and dust liberally with powdered sugar (optional)

Apple and Mint Topping

1. Core and dice two medium apples, about 2 cups
2. Simmer over medium heat with apple juice and brown sugar until apples are tender
3. Add fresh mint and mix well

M&M's® Pecan Pie Chocolate Sauce

1. In a microwave safe bowl, heat M&M's® with a splash of milk in 15 second intervals, stirring well in between until chocolate and candy coating are completely melted
2. Spoon over assembled funnel cakes and enjoy!

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Be sure to check out more delicious Fall-inspired recipes M&M’s® Pecan Pie. I’d love to hear your favorite!

What’s your “signal” for the change in seasons from Summer to Fall?

This baked caramel apple funnel cake shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BakeInTheFun #CollectiveBias