APPALACHIAN APPLE STACK CAKE
This old-fashioned apple stack cake is a classic for a reason. Many people make it during the holiday season. We make it with apple butter, but it’s also been known to be made with dried apples.
If you are a fan of old fashioned cakes you will want to try this Southern Jam Cake. It’s a wonderful cake and has been in our family for over 100 years. We have it every Christmas and it’s one of our favorite traditions.
❤️WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE
This apple stack cake is a little time-consuming, but it’s a wonderful cake. The hardest part is making the layers, and they don’t have to be perfect! This would be a great cake to add to your holiday and to enjoy making with family. I know a family that makes it every year, and it’s a tradition they have passed down through the generations.
HISTORY OF THE APPALACHIAN APPLE STACK CAKE
Appalachian folklore says this cake was a celebration cake, often for weddings. It was originally made with lard, but eventually, with the creation of shortening, that changed and also made the shelf-life much longer. Many people make this cake with dried apples, but it has also been made with apple butter. We chose to use apple butter since it seems to be what most people have on hand or can find at the grocery store.
🍽️HOW TO MAKE
Making the layers for this cake takes the longest, as does deciding on how many layers you plan to make. We made 7 layers for this cake, and it was amazing. This cake needs to rest and can be made a few days in advance. The longer the apple butter can soak into the layers, the better this cake will be.
We doubled our recipe to make this cake. The original recipe makes a 5-layer cake, but we doubled it to make a 7-layer cake and then made a separate cake of 3 layers.
Printable recipe in recipe card below.
⭐TIP
This is a cake that needs time to rest so you will definitely want to make it in advance. It’s perfect for the holiday season because it gets better with time. Make this one 3 days before and you will have dessert out of the way.
OTHER OLD FASHIONED DESSERTS
STORING & SERVING SIZE
We store this in an airtight container and it makes about 14 servings. It’s gonna depend on how you cut the cake.
Appalachian Apple Stack Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup shortening I used crisco
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup molasses I used sorghum, can use any kind
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 2 to 2 1/2 cups apple butter
- Powdered sugar for sprinkling on top.
Instructions
- Combine shortening, sugar, molasses, buttermilk and eggs in a bowl. Mix with mixer. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice in another bowl. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix.
- I used 10 inch round cake pans (you could use 8 or 9 inch). Spray your pans with cooking spray each time. Spread a layer of batter in your pans. I used a regular kitchen knife and spread it like you are spreading frosting. Spread the batter about an inch thick. You can spread thicker if you want thicker layers.
- Bake layers in a preheated 400 degree oven 12 to 15 minutes until centers test done. Let each layer cool on a plate. Next cover each layer with apple butter as you stack them. This makes about 5 layers. If you want more layers double the recipe. You can sprinkle powdered sugar on top of cake.
Notes
Join 1000’s of others and subscribe today!
A lifestyle magazine that inspires you to create a life you love.. Discover the simple joys that fill our lives with gratitude and inspire a deeper connection to what truly matters.
© The Southern Lady Cooks photos and text – All rights reserved. No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.
Hi there! Looking forward to making this soon, when you store it in an airtight container; are you storing it at room temperature or in the refrigerator?
Thanks in advance ◡̈
We store it at room temperature. Hope you love it!
When I was a little boy in the 70s. My grandmother used to make these . Then later on my Mom used to know someone that made them out of their home. But I havent had one since the 80s. I would love to have a local (southeast Michigan) bakery make these. I have never seen a bakery make anything like these.
I have never seen a bakery make one either, most are homemade just like your Grandmother and mother. You should make one!
I have an old cookbook with a similar recipe. In fact it had two recipes. One used an apple sauce the other used dried apples. I made a cake using a little of both.
When I made the cake, I think I had 5 layers, I cut a piece for my wife and one for me.
It was absolutely the best cake ever.
When I went back for a second piece the liquid and soaked into the layers and it was just a blob of cake and stuff. LOL.
I have threatened over the years to make another one so I think I will try your recipe.
Thanks
Oh my.. this is a great story! hhah! I hope you try it again!
Cannot wait for my family to see this!!!!!
YAY!!
I have a question about the apple stack cake. If I choose to use dried apples in alternating layers, I figure I’ll have to do something to rehydrate them. Could I slather a thick layer of applesauce and top it with the dried apple slices? Or should I soak them in apple cider first? I assume that something must be done to them, or the surrounding cake will be dry, and the apple chunks will be either crunchy or rubbery. Have you ever experimented with dried apples?
No I have not tried it with the dried apples, so I can’t advise.
I’m making this cake for my Dad. He’s elderly and from Pine Mountain Settlement. His Mom used to make them on holidays. I’m using a mix of applebutter and fried apples chopped very small. I’m also gonna soak each layer, as they rest in apple cider, so it can be soft for him. Will let you know how it goes. If i used dried apples, i would soak them in apple cider first.
Two pounds dried apples with four cups cider and two cups water. Sugar amount varies depending on which apple and how tart you want them. Spices you prefer to simmer on stove to consistency of apple jam. Spread between layers instead of apple butter. Cake must rest 24 hours or early in morning to consume in evening. Cake absorbs moisture from jam. I think apple brandy a splash would be great in this apple filling
That sounds so good, Wow Thank you for sharing this
You will have to heat up the dried apples in water until they plump up. Then you can add whatever spices you like. Dried apples are really good things to use.
Exactly how my mom made it with apples she had dried, between two screens and cheesecloth, over the summer. Loves Baking same recipe and application.
This was fun to make and now our home smells wonderful. I missed the instruction for when to spread the apple butter; after it cools or while it is warm?
Thank you!
I am so glad you made this cake! I just updated the recipe, thank you for pointing that out. We let each layer cool on a plate and then spread the apple butter and stacked them.