Appalachian Stack Cake With Apple Bourbon Sauce Food

APPLE JACK STACK CAKE

Steps:

• For the filling:
• Put the apples, brown sugar, cider, and applejack in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the apples and reserve 1/4 cup of the liquid. Set aside.
• For the cake:
• Position the racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat two baking sheets with cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. In a large liquid measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk and vanilla.
• In large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium-high speed, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the molasses, beating until incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated. Gradually add the buttermilk (the mixture will look curdled); add the flour mixture and mix until a soft dough forms-it should look like cookie dough. Remove the dough from the bowl, pat into a round, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 6 equal portions, about 8 1/2 ounces each. On parchment paper, roll portions of dough into circles about 1/4 inch thick. Use an 8-inch cake pan as a guide to trim into uniform 8-inch circles. Bake one circle on each prepared sheet until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating and switching the baking sheets halfway through baking. Transfer the circles to cooling racks and let cool completely. The cakes will harden and set as they cool. Repeat with remaining dough. Reroll scraps to form a seventh layer.
• Place the first layer on a serving plate and spread with 1/4 cup of the apple butter. Arrange one-sixth of the cooled cooked apples on top of apple butter and top with another layer of cake. Repeat with the remaining filling and cake layers, ending with a cake layer on top. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the layers soften, at least 12 hours and up to 2 days.
• For the glaze:
• In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, reserved apple cider mixture, and the molasses. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat and cook until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until smooth. Let cool for 5 minutes, then pour the glaze over the top of the cake. Slice and serve, or store the cake, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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.