Apple Stack Cake Recipe Southern Living Recipes

AUNTIE'S APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare the Cake: Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat a 10-inch tube pan with cooking spray; dust with flour. Beat eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla with a hand mixer on medium speed about 1 minute. Stir together baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and 2 1/2 cups of the flour in a separate bowl; gradually add to egg mixture, beating on low speed until blended.
• Stir together apples, pecans, and remaining 1/2 cup flour in a bowl; fold mixture into batter. Spoon batter into prepared tube pan. Bake in preheated oven a until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan; let cool until just warm, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the Frosting: Cook brown sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in a saucepan over medium, stirring often, until mixture comes to a boil and sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches soft-ball stage (240˚F), about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk until slightly thickened, abut 1 minute.
• Drizzle Frosting over warm Cake. If desired, garnish with chopped pecans.

APPLE STACK CAKE

Steps:

• Place apples and water in a 6-qt. stockpot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 40-45 minutes or until apples are softened, stirring occasionally. Mash into a chunky sauce. Stir in brown sugar and pie spice; simmer, uncovered, 10-15 minutes longer or until liquid is absorbed and sauce is thickened. Cool completely., Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition., Divide dough into 8 portions; shape each into a disk. Cut out eight 9-in. circles of parchment. With a floured rolling pin, roll out a dough disk to fit each parchment circle. Transfer to baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., Place1 layer on a serving plate; spread with 2/3 cup filling. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer, wrap tightly in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1-2 days or until layers soften. If desired, sprinkle cake with confectioner's sugar.

OLD-FASHIONED STACK CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, ginger, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with molasses and buttermilk, beating well after each addition., Drop 2 scant 1/4 cupfuls of batter, at least 7 in. apart, onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. With well-floured fingers, pat each into a 5- to 6-in. circle. Bake 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter., To assemble, place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 2 tablespoons apple butter. Repeat layers 4 times; top with a sixth layer. Repeat to make 2 more stack cakes. Refrigerate, covered, until serving. If desired, serve with additional apple butter.

OLD-FASHIONED STACK CAKE WITH APPALACHIAN APPLE BUTTER FILLING

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 6 (9-inch) cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper, and spray parchment paper with cooking spray.
• 2. In a medium bowl, beat shortening and sugar at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. Add buttermilk, molasses, egg and vanilla, beating well. In a large bowl, combine flour, ginger, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Make a well in center of flour mixture. Add shortening mixture, stirring just until combined.
• 3. On a lightly floured surface, form dough into a log; cut into six equal portions. Place one portion in each prepared pan, and use fingers to lightly pat dough to edges of pans. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. Cake will have the consistency of a gingerbread cookie.
• 4. Cook time: Depends on how big you want your stack. This recipe makes one 9-inch cake with six stacks. Three stacks were baked simultaneously for 10 to 12 minutes The filling (recipe below) takes about an hour. Allow 24 hours for the cake to chill in the refrigerator.
• 5. Make filling: In large saucepan, combine dried fruit and all dry ingredients. Add enough liquid to cover. Bring to a low boil and cook, stirring often, for 45 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand for 10 minutes or until cooled slightly. Transfer to the work bowl of a food processor or container of a blender; process until smooth. Use while still warm.
• 6. To put cake together, place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand; spread with about 3/4 cup warm fruit butter filling. Repeat procedure with remaining layers and fruit butter filling, stacking each on previous layer. Do not spread fruit butter filling on top layer. Cover and refrigerate cake for at least 24 hours. Just before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar.