Apple Stack Cakes

1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
3 eggs
4 cups flour, all-purpose
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
32 ounces applesauce, chunky style,  spiced
Whipped cream
Chopped nuts

Heat oven to 375°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans.

In medium mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Stir in molasses. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

In large bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture and milk, alternately, beating after each addition. Pour 1 1/3 cups batter into each prepared pan. Refrigerate remaining batter.

Bake 15 minutes, or until done. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then remove and cool on wire rack. Clean pans, grease and flour. Repeat with remaining batter.

Spread applesauce between layers. Spread whipped cream on top and sprinkle with nuts.

Yields 24 servings.

APPLE STACK CAKE

(printed in Grit in June 1996)

Stack Cake:

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup molasses
Confectioner’s sugar, if desired

Apple Filling:

3 cups dried apple slices
2 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup molasses
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Prepare cake: Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 9-inch round layer cake pans; set aside.

In large mixing bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter or margarine with sugar; add egg and mix well. Set aside.

Into separate bowl, sift flour with baking powder, baking soda, salt and ginger.

In separate small bowl, combine buttermilk with molasses. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk and molasses, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Divide dough into 6 portions. With lightly floured hands, pat 1 portion of dough into each prepared pan; bake 10 to 11 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer layers to cooling rack.

Cool baking pans, grease lightly, and bake remaining dough until all layers are baked. Cool completely. Spread apple filling between each layer; cover and chill 8 hours or more. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar before serving, if desired.

Prepare filling: In large saucepan, combine apple slices with water, sugar and molasses. Over medium heat bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes until apples are tender; stir occasionally. Stir in cinnamon, orange and lemon peels, and nutmeg. Puree apple mixture in food processor or blender.

Yields 16 servings each with 309 calories, 6 g fat, 28 mg cholesterol and 256 mg sodium.

GRANDMA WELSH’S APPLE STACK CAKE

(printed in Grit in September 1996

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1 egg, well-beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ginger
6 to 8 cups cooked, sweetened apples, applesauce, or 2 cans (21-ounces each) apple pie filling
Whipped cream or ice cream, optional

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 9-inch cake pans; set aside.

In large bowl, cream shortening with sugar. Add molasses, egg, buttermilk and vanilla; mix well.

Into separate bowl, sift flour with baking powder, baking soda, salt and ginger. Combine sifted dry ingredients with sugar mixture.

Divide dough into 6 portions. Working with one ball of dough at a time, pat each into a circle to fit prepared pans. Reuse pans, if necessary. Layers will be thin. Bake 10 to 12 minutes; cool.

On cake plate, spread first layer with cooked, sweetened apples, applesauce or apple pie filling. Repeat layers until all layers and apples have been used. Apple stack cakes usually have 6 or more layers. Garnish with whipped cream or ice cream.

Yields 12 servings each with 403 calories, 12 g fat, 31 mg cholesterol and 290 mg sodium.

APPLE STACK CAKE

(printed in Grit in November/December 2010)

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup molasses
3 eggs, beaten
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup milk
2 1/2 cups apple butter or cooked dried apples
Confectioner’s sugar

Heat oven to 375°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans; set aside.

Cream sugar and butter; stir in molasses and eggs.

In another bowl, combine dry ingredients.

Add to butter mixture alternately with milk. Blend well.

Spoon half the batter into prepared pans. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until cakes pull away from pan. Cool layers on racks and repeat process with remaining batter.

Spread apple butter between layers and dust top with confectioner’s sugar.