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Appalachian apple stack cake is a tall cake made of six thin, spiced molasses layers stacked with cooked dried-apple filling. You bake it, assemble it, then leave it alone for 24 hours. By then the layers have softened into one tender cake that slices clean.
There’s something about a dessert that asks you to wait. Out of the oven, the layers are firm like a soft cookie. A day later they’re moist and fudgy, and the apple flavor runs through every bite.
As the story goes, wedding guests in the mountains each brought a layer, and the bride’s family stacked them with apple filling. Dried apples made sense. Fresh ones were gone by winter.
The one thing to watch is the filling. Cook it until a spoon leaves a trail, or the layers slide. The tips below are the ones that actually matter.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Six thin layers bake in just 12 minutes each
- Dried apples make the filling work in any season
- Assemble it a day ahead and it needs nothing else
- No frosting, no special pans, just two 9-inch rounds
Ingredient Notes
- dried apples: Look for unsulfured dried apple rings or slices in the bulk bins or dried fruit aisle. Chop large rings into 1 cm pieces so they soften evenly.
- sorghum or molasses: Sorghum syrup gives the traditional grassy-sweet flavor. Unsulfured molasses swaps in 1 to 1, but skip blackstrap, which turns bitter here.
- buttermilk: Buttermilk activates the baking soda. If you don’t have any, stir 1 tsp lemon juice into 120 ml whole milk and wait 5 minutes.
- butter: Older recipes use lard or shortening. Butter gives a richer flavor and creams the same way, so use it unless you want the old-fashioned crumb.
Appalachian Apple Stack Cake with Spiced Dried Apples
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the dried apples, water, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg and salt in a 3-quart / 2.8 L saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the apples are soft. Start the dough while this simmers.
- Heat the oven to 175 C / 350 F. Cut six 23 cm / 9-inch rounds from parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt together in a bowl.
- Beat the butter and granulated sugar with a hand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the sorghum syrup or molasses, egg and vanilla. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, and mix just until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
- Weigh the dough and divide it into 6 pieces, about 185 g each. Wrap four pieces in plastic. Set a parchment round in each of two 23 cm / 9-inch round cake pans. With floured fingertips, press one piece into each pan to an even 4 mm thickness, edge to edge, then prick all over with a fork.
- Bake the first two layers for 12 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly browned and the centers spring back when touched.
- While those bake, uncover the filling. Stir in the butter and lemon juice and mash with a potato masher. Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until a spoon dragged across the bottom of the pan leaves a trail that doesn't fill back in. If it looks loose, keep cooking, because wet filling makes the layers slide. Leave it warm, not hot.
- Cool the baked layers in the pans for 5 minutes, then lift them out on their parchment onto a wire rack. Press the next two dough pieces into the pans on fresh parchment rounds and bake for 12 minutes. Repeat with the last two pieces. Cool all six layers for 15 minutes.
- Peel the parchment from the layers and set one on a serving plate. Spread about 150 g (a generous 1/2 cup) of the filling over it, stopping 1 cm from the edge. Repeat with four more layers, then set the last layer on top with no filling and press down gently.
- Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours. Slice with a serrated knife and serve at room temperature.
Notes
- Weigh each dough piece, about 185 g, so all six layers bake in the same time.
- Keep unbaked dough pieces covered with plastic wrap while the pans are busy so they don't dry out.
- Choose unsulfured dried apples for a deeper, caramel-like apple flavor in the filling.
- Cool the baked layers for 15 minutes before stacking, but use the filling warm.
- Refrigerate the assembled cake for the full 24 hours before slicing.
Tips for Success
- Press the dough to an even 4 mm thickness so every layer bakes in the same 12 minutes and none stays doughy.
- Cook the filling until a spoon dragged across the bottom of the pot leaves a trail, because loose filling squeezes out and layers slip.
- Weigh the dough pieces on a kitchen scale, aiming for about 185 g each, so the layers stack at one even height.
- Spread the filling to within 1 cm of each layer’s edge, since it spreads a little under the weight of the stack.
- Slice with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion, and wipe the blade between cuts to keep the layers tidy.
Variations
- Use sorghum syrup in place of molasses for the traditional mountain flavor, which is lighter and more grassy than regular molasses.
- Stir 60 g (1/2 cup) of chopped toasted pecans or walnuts into the finished filling for a little crunch between the layers.
- Stir 2 tbsp bourbon into the filling after it finishes cooking for a deeper, slightly smoky apple flavor.
Storage and Reheating
Appalachian apple stack cake keeps in the refrigerator for up to 5 days after its 24-hour rest, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or kept under a cake dome. Take it out 30 minutes before slicing so the layers and filling soften a little.
You can freeze the rested cake, whole or sliced, wrapped in plastic and then foil, for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge.
This cake is served at room temperature and doesn’t need reheating. To make it ahead, bake the layers up to 2 days in advance and keep them wrapped at room temperature. Refrigerate the filling for up to 4 days and bring it to room temperature before spreading. Assemble the cake 24 hours before you plan to serve it.
Serving Suggestions
Appalachian apple stack cake is best served at room temperature in thin slices, about 12 from one 9-inch stack. It’s dense and the filling is sweet, so small pieces go a long way.
Pour a mug of strong black coffee or hot tea. Warm apple cider works too, especially in the cold months.
For a plate that looks more like dessert, add a spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream or a thin slice of sharp cheddar. It also travels well to a potluck, wrapped right on its plate.
FAQ
How do I know when my Appalachian apple stack cake is ready to cut?
A stack cake is ready to cut after a full 24 hours in the fridge. Press a fingertip on the top layer. If it gives slightly and the cut edge looks moist, not dry or crumbly, it’s done resting. Cut it right after assembling and the layers still taste like firm cookies instead of cake.
Can I use fresh apples instead of dried apples in stack cake filling?
Yes, but cook them down first. Use about 1.5 kg / 3.3 lb of peeled, sliced apples and simmer them with the sugar and spices for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring often, until jammy. Fresh apples hold far more water than dried, so the filling needs the longer reduction to stay thick.
Can I freeze Appalachian apple stack cake?
Yes, it freezes well. Wrap the assembled, rested cake whole or in slices in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then leave it out for 30 minutes before slicing. The layers stay soft because the filling has already moistened them.
What drinks and toppings go well with apple stack cake?
Strong black coffee, hot tea, or warm apple cider all suit it. For a topping, add a spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream or a thin slice of sharp cheddar, the same pairing people use with apple pie. Skip heavy frosting or sauces, since the cake is already dense and spiced.
What is the difference between a stack cake and a regular layer cake?
A stack cake uses thin, firm layers filled with cooked fruit and no frosting, while a layer cake uses fluffy sponge layers with frosting. Stack cake also needs a 24-hour rest to soften, and a layer cake is best the day it’s made. The rest is what turns six firm layers into one tender cake.
How do I make apple stack cake dairy free?
Swap the 115 g of butter for dairy-free butter sticks, and replace the 120 ml buttermilk with 120 ml unsweetened soy or oat milk mixed with 1 tsp lemon juice, rested 5 minutes. Use dairy-free butter or a neutral oil in the filling too. The egg stays in the dough, so the cake isn’t vegan.
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