Old Fashioned Apple Stack Cake

Old Fashioned Apple Stack Cake: A Time-Honored Recipe from Grainger County, TN

Filling:

Ingredients:

• 8 packed cups of dried apples
• 6 cups 100% apple juice or cider
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Optional: ½ tsp cloves or allspice (for additional spice)

Instructions:

1. Combine dried apples, apple juice or cider, and cinnamon in a slow cooker.
2. Cook on low until fully hydrated and soft.
3. Mash the apples into a chunky sauce using a potato masher.
4. For a smoother filling, use a blender or food processor and pulse until desired consistency.
5. Optional: If more spice is desired, add ½ tsp cloves or allspice.
6. Make the filling in advance, up to 48 hrs, and store in the fridge until ready to assemble the cake.

Layers:

Ingredients:

• 8 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp ginger
• ½ tsp cloves
• ½ nutmeg
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup Crisco
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup molasses
• 3 eggs (added one at a time)
• ½ cup milk

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease/flour 3 cake tins.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.
3. In a Kitchenaid mixer, cream together Crisco, sugar, molasses, eggs, and milk in the listed order.
4. Slowly add the dry mixture to form a stiff dough.
5. Turn out the dough on a floured surface and shape it into a rectangle. Cut it into 9 sections, each forming a layer.
6. Press each layer into a greased cake tin; layers will thin like cookies.
7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until slightly dry.
8. Turn out and repeat until you have 9 layers.

Assembly:

1. Place one layer on a plate or cake base.
2. Cover with ¾ cup of the prepared apple filling.
3. Repeat until all layers are used.
4. Some cooks cover the top with filling, but it's optional.
5. Cover the cake with a cake taker lid or plastic wrap (avoid foil).
6. Store in the fridge.
7. Allow at least 48 hrs before cutting.
8. Enjoy the delicious and time-honored Old Fashioned Apple Stack Cake! 🍎🎂