Dried Apple Stack Cake
(In the picture above is Aunt Carol, Grandma Thompson, & Mamaw Potter)
I finally found a history on my favorite cake that both my great grandmothers and then aunt Carol and great aunt Dorie always made…of course I make it now, and it takes me back to my mamaw’s, aunt Carols kitchen every time I do. Unbelievably, I have 3 different recipes for this cake. The one that my mamaw Bessie made. The one my great grandmother Thompson made, and the one that my aunt Carol had changed around. I had misplaced the recipe for aunt Carols recipe this past weekend and went a little crazy trying to find it. Finally, I contacted my cousin Gladys who lives in Tennessee and asked her for it. I knew that aunt Carol had made Grandma Thompsons version so I knew Gladys who is also her granddaughter would have it.
Well, when I got it in my email I found something odd. I knew that I always used molasses in making this cake. There was no molasses to be found in Glady’s recipe. Then yesterday I found my recipe tucked safely away in an old cook book. Guess what. There was molasses in the recipe as I remembered. Confused on how I now had 3 different recipes from the same family I did what anyone would do. I called mom. After I explained this to her, she immediately said that aunt Carol had change the recipe from using brown sugar to using molasses. She did this because grandpa Cecil loved molasses and she wanted to make him happy and make it with his favorite ingredient. Mom said that grandpa loved molasses so much he would sometimes spread it on bread and eat it like that.
Mystery solved. Now no matter how you make it, and I have found many versions on the internet and now in my own family, below is an explanation about this simple cake that meant so much to the people who lived in the southern Appalachia mountains and throughout the hills from Kentucky to Tennessee, and North and South Carolina.
Dried Apple Stack Cake
2/3 cup shortening
1 cup molasses
1 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs slightly beaten
5 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Cream the shortening and sugar in your stand mixer.
Add the molasses and buttermilk.
Now add in the eggs and bring together.
In separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Now add the flour in 3 or 4 batches to combine each before adding the next.
Divide batter among 5 or 6 prepared cake pans. It will barely cover the bottom of pan, but will rise when it bakes.
Bake the layers in a preheated 350°F oven.
As you take the cake layers out of oven, immediately put first layer on the serving dish and cover with apple butter. Repeat with each layer. Don’t put apple butter on top layer.
Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight so it comes together and doesn’t slide apart.
And this is the original handwritten version that my mamaw Bessie made. As I said above, this is my most treasured recipe I have.
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I love how you tell the history of the apple stack cake. My grandmother also made this cake and I loved it. I believe that history in our families is so important.
Can I please get a copy go your Aunt Glady’s recipe. I am in east Tn and my cousin have been trying to find a recipe like our Grandmothers. Hers did not use molasses! All the recipes we have found use molasses. Please pretty please share!
Theresa, is this the one?
Ingredients:
6 cups flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 tablespoon ginger
1 cup shortening
milk to mix
She always put the flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle. Add all the ingredients. Work them together with your hands, working in the shortening and the milk. Work into balls to roll out. Usually get 6-7 layers.
Flour area to roll dough size of cast iron skillet.
Heat skillets grease and flour.
Bake two layers at a time Until they look done and feel done to touch.
Fill apple butter between each layer. Not the top.
Hello, Mr.Kantner. Can you make the old fashion stack cake for a diabetic? If so, would you share your recipe.?
My Mother made this cake for Christmas each year as we grew up. Unfortunately she never wrote the recipe Dow. She did use apples that she had dried. I don’t see the use of “dried apples” in your family recipe. Is the applesauce that you referenced in this recipe made from dried apples? If so, would you share it, please?
yes, you can make if from dried apples…you can also used jarred apple butter as well.