Almond Petits Fours

Use mini muffin cups to make tender little cakes covered with a sweet almond glaze. MORE+ LESS-

By Betty Crocker Kitchens

August 5, 2011

Cake

package Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ white cake mix

Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box

teaspoon almond extract

bag (2 lb) powdered sugar

1/2

cup water

1/2

cup corn syrup

teaspoons almond extract

to 3 teaspoons hot water

Assorted colors Betty Crocker™ decorating icing (in 4.25-oz tubes), fresh edible flowers, or purchased candy flowers

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1

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Spray bottoms only of about 58 mini muffin cups with baking spray with flour.
2

Make cake batter as directed on box, adding 1 teaspoon almond extract with the water. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about half full). (If using one pan, refrigerate batter while baking other cakes; wash pan before filling with additional batter.)
3

Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
4

Place cooling rack on cookie sheet or waxed paper to catch glaze drips. In 3-quart saucepan, stir powdered sugar, 1/2 cup water, the corn syrup and 2 teaspoons almond extract. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved; remove from heat. Stir in hot water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until glaze is pourable. Turn each mini-cake on cooling rack so top side is down. Pour about 1 tablespoon glaze over each cake, letting glaze coat the sides. Let stand 15 minutes.
5

With decorating icing, pipe designs on cakes, or garnish cakes with flowers just before serving. Store loosely covered.

You can make the cakes up to 2 weeks earlier and freeze, but wait to add the glaze until shortly before you serve them.
Miniature desserts are great choices for a dessert buffet. Guests can sample several of the desserts if they are only one or two bites each.
If you have only one pan and a recipe calls for more cupcakes than your pan will make, cover and refrigerate the rest of the batter while baking the first batch. Cool the pan about 15 minutes, then bake the rest of the batter, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.