Apple-Butter Layer Cake

By courtneyepowell

Ingredients

• CAKE
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
• 2 1/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 7 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 3/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 8 large egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• APPLE BUTTER
• 6 1/2 cups Applesauce
• 1 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• ASSEMBLY
• 3 cups Apple Butter
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• Ground cinnamon, for dusting

Details

Servings 12
Adapted from marthastewartweddings.com

Preparation

Step 1

STEP 1
Apple Butter: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Stir together apple butter ingredients in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake, stirring every 30 minutes, until dark golden brown and reduced to 4 cups, about 1 hour, 50 minutes. Let cool completely before using. Apple butter can be stored in refrigerator up to 2 weeks, or in freezer up to 3 months.

STEP 2
Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan and line with parchment. Butter parchment. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and 3/4 cup granulated sugar in a bowl. Whisk together butter, egg yolks, and milk in another bowl. Whisk flour mixture into yolk mixture until smooth.

STEP 3
Beat egg whites with a mixer on high speed until frothy. Add cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Gradually add remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 3 minutes. Whisk one-third of white mixture into yolk mixture. Gently but thoroughly fold in remaining white mixture.

STEP 4
Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake until top of cake springs back when lightly touched, 50 to 55 minutes. Slide a paring knife around edge of cake to loosen; release cake from pan. Let cake cool 15 minutes on pan base on a wire rack. Invert cake onto wire rack; remove pan base and parchment. Turn cake top-side up onto rack and let cool completely.

STEP 5
Assembly: With a serrated knife, split cake horizontally into 4 layers. Transfer bottom layer to a cake plate or platter. Spread with 1 cup apple butter. Add second layer; spread with 1 cup apple butter. Repeat with third layer and remaining 1 cup apple butter. Top with fourth cake layer, domed-side up. Filled cake can be stored in refrigerator up to overnight.

STEP 6
Beat cream and confectioners' sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Dollop on top of cake. Sprinkle with cinnamon.