Appalachian Apple Stack Cake

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Ingredients

Makes: 12 To 16 Servings

Apple Filling

  • 15 To 16 Ounces Dried Unsulfured Apple Rings 4 To 5 Packed Cups
  • 1 Cup Light Brown Sugar Firmly Packed
  • 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
  • ½ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
  • 4 Cups Water

Cake

  • 5 Cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
  • ½ Teaspoon Salt
  • ⅔ Cup Vegetable Shortening
  • 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Cup Sorghum Or Molasses
  • 2 Large Eggs At Room Temperature
  • 1 Cup Low-Fat Buttermilk At Room Temperature
  • Confectioners’ Sugar Or Sweetened Whipped Cream For Garnish

Instructions

  • For The Filling, Place The Apples In A Large Nonstick Skillet Over Medium-High Heat.
  • Sprinkle The Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, Ginger, And Nutmeg Over The Apples.
  • Pour In The Water, Which Should Half-Cover The Apples.
  • Bring The Mixture To A Boil, And Once Boiling, Reduce The Heat To Low And Allow To Simmer, Covered, Until The Apples Are Soft And The Mixture Has Thickened, About 1 Hour.
  • Add A Bit More Water If Needed.
  • Remove The Apples From The Heat And Let Them Cool.
  • When Cool, Place Them In Thirds In A Food Processor And Pulse Until Smooth But Some Chunks Of Apple Remain.
  • Or Mash The Apples By Hand With A Potato Masher.
  • You Will Have About 5 Heaping Cups Of Apples To Spread Between 6 Cake Layers.
  • Set Aside.
  • Meanwhile, For The Cake, Place A Rack In The Center Of The Oven, And Preheat The Oven To 350°F.
  • Cut 6 Pieces Of Parchment Paper To Fit In The Bottom Of Six 9″ Round Pans.
  • Smear A Bit Of Vegetable Shortening On The Bottom Of The Pans To Hold The Parchment In Place, And Set The Pans Aside.
  • Place The Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, And Salt In A Large Mixing Bowl.
  • Whisk To Combine, And Set The Mixture Aside.
  • In Another Large Bowl, Place The Shortening, Sugar, And Sorghum Or Molasses.
  • Beat With An Electric Mixer On Medium Speed Until The Mixture Is Creamy And Smooth, About 2 Minutes.
  • Add The Eggs, One At A Time, Beating Just Until Blended.
  • Scrape Down The Sides Of The Bowl.
  • Add The Flour Mixture Alternately With The Buttermilk, Beginning And Ending With The Flour, And Beating Until Smooth, 1 To 2 Minutes.
  • The Batter Will Be Thick, More Like A Cookie Dough.
  • Use A Strong Rubber Spatula, If Needed, To Facilitate Mixing.
  • Divide The Batter Into 6 Equal Parts.
  • Each Part Will Be About 10 Ounces.
  • Spread The Batter Out Into The Pans, Using The Rubber Spatula Or A Flexible Metal Spatula.
  • Place 2 Or 3 Pans In The Oven At A Time, Depending On The Size Of Your Oven.
  • Bake Until The Cakes Are A Light Golden Color And Spring Back When Lightly Pressed In The Center, 14 To 16 Minutes.
  • Remove The Pans To A Wire Rack To Cool For 3 Minutes, Then Run A Knife Around The Edges And Turn Out The Warm Layers Onto The Rack.
  • Immediately Spread 1 Heaping Cup Of Apple Filling Over The Top Of The Warm Layer.
  • Top With A Second Layer, Spread On Filling, Top With A Third, And So On.
  • Repeat The Process For The Rest Of The Batter Until You End With The Sixth Layer On Top.
  • Place The Cake In A Cake Saver Or Under A Cake Dome For 1 To 2 Days Before Serving.
  • Before Serving, Sprinkle The Top Of The Cake With Confectioners’ Sugar Or Pile On Whipped Cream.

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

The Secret To Great Stack Cake Is To Bake It A Day In Advance And Cover It So That The Apple Filling Slowly Seeps Into The Cake.
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Course Cake / Fruit