Sweet and simple apple goodness!

This beautiful apple stack cake has been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember. My grandma still makes this cake for my birthday and usually Thanksgiving every year! A few years ago she gave me a lesson on how to make it, but I must admit that mine never turn out as good as hers do. You better believe that this special cake will be in my first book one day!

My Grandma is the definition of grace and her walk with the Lord has always been something that I admire so much. She has a laugh that makes anyone around her laugh along and I have never seen a day where she didn't radiate this joy! I know I will cherish this recipe, pictures (which she would kill me if I posted!), and memories of learning to make this cake from her for the rest of my life!

Apple Stack Cake

INGREDIENTS:

24 ounces dried apples, peeled and cored

4-5 cups water, dependent upon how dry your apples are

1 cup sugar

½ cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup butter, softened

2 ½ cups sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 cups flour, sifted

1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

Apple Mixture

Cut dried apples into small chunks using a sharp knife and place into large pot (I use a Dutch oven) and add water until it is slightly above your apples.

Bring to boil on high heat and then drop down to a low simmer. Let simmer for 30-45 minutes or until apples are soft enough to mash. Give the apples an occasional stir so they do not stick to the bottom of your pot.

Once apples are cooked down, stir in 1 cup of sugar until it has dissolved.

Remove from heat and use an immersion blender (a food processor or hand mixer will work too) to mash your apples mixture into a thick puree. My grandma always leaves hers a little bit chunky which I love, but think of it like a chunky applesauce consistency or thick apple butter. Once mixture is the consistency you want, cover it to keep it warm and set to the side.

Cake Layers

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir very lightly and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 2 ½ cups sugar with hand mixer.

Add in beaten eggs and vanilla and beat well.

Add in buttermilk mixture and mix in gently with spoon.

Stir in salt and flour (one cup at a time) into mixture. Add enough flour to be able to handle the dough without it being too sticky.

On a floured surface, form dough into an even rectangular log and cut into six even portions.

Pat each dough portion evenly into the bottom of a greased and floured 9 inch round pan. Making sure your edges are pressed down well and slightly up the sides of the pan as these tend to rise while baking.

Make a few fork marks in the dough on the bottom of the pan so that the cakes bake evenly.

Bake each layer 10 minutes or until lightly browned (I bake with two 9 inch pans at a time since I only have a single oven).

As soon as each layer comes out of the oven, run a sharp knife along the edge of the pan and forcefully flip over onto a hard surface to remove from pan,

Let your baked layers cool completely before handling.

Once cooled, place your bottom cake layer onto serving plate.

Spread about ½ -1 cup of apple mixture on top of cake layer, reaching all of the way to the edges of the cake.

Repeat the previous step as you layer your cake, making sure your layers are sitting evenly as you go.