Sift flour, soda, salt, and ginger into a mixing bowl. When the dried fruit has been cooked according to directions on the package, add the sugar and cinnamon. Cream shortening and sugar; add beaten egg, molasses, buttermilk, and mix well. A loaf of bread? Some believe it’s an Appalachian Apple Stack Cake recipe that’s been passed down over the years. Dried Apple Stack Cake Prep Time: 45 min Cook Time: 55 min Total Time: 1 day Yield: 12 servings. https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/dried-apple-stack-cakes-241218 2 eggs, lightly beaten It tastes fabulous! I can't say enough about the deliciousness and simple beauty of this historic cake, which has its roots in nineteenth-century Appalachia. The cake often begins dry, but after sitting 24 hours layered with applesauce, it becomes moist and delicious. When you hear gingerbread what comes to mind? Lightly prick the dough all over with a fork, making a pretty pattern if you wish. 1 pound (4 to 5 packed cups) dried unsulphured apples You will be baking the layers in batches, for a total of six layers. Sift flour, soda, salt, and ginger into a big mixing bowl. Any day becomes a special occasion with this cake – it’s definitely worth the time, effort and cake … Divide the dough into six equal pieces. Add a bit more flour if needed. (Alternatively, you can bake the layers one at a time in a greased and floured, well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, which is the traditional technique. At one time, most cane presses were powered by a mule walking in a circle around the press, setting the mechanics into motion. For generations, families and communities came together each fall to cook their annual supply of sorghum molasses — the most important sweetener in areas that had limited access to refined sugar and even less cash for buying it. Sheri believes that stories happen only to those who can tell them. Basically, it’s a baked good filled with spices like ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Start the filling first. Put between the layers of cake. When the cake is stacked, wrap in cheesecloth. Steer wrestling, a practice credited to legendary cowboy and rodeo star Bill Pickett, usually involves leaping onto a steer from the back of a specially trained horse. https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-apple-stack-cake-240546 Put the apples in a Dutch oven, and add enough water to cover the apples by 2 … This Old Fashioned Fresh Apple Cake Recipe is one of our faves. Cream shortening and sugar together , Add egg , molasses ,and buttermilk . Dried apples make a delicious snack all by themselves, but reconstituting them within a dessert brings out the tannins and sugars. Immediately spread it with one-fifth of the apple filling (about 1 heaping cup). In those days, it served as a sort of potluck wedding cake: Members of the community would contribute layers, which were held together with a spread of mashed dried apples, applesauce, or apple butter. Over 100 years old! Bake for 25-35 minutes, until puffed and golden. Soak dried apples in water to cover overnight. Dried Apple Filling: 1 teaspoon salt Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. | Website by Web Publisher PRO, A Year-Round Guide to Franklin and Nantahala, 31 Days, 31 Ways to Enjoy Apples in North Carolina, 10 Places to Shop for One-of-a-Kind North Carolina Gifts, Watch: How to make Sweet Potato Pie Casserole. Step-by-Step . A stack cake is a unique regional variation that replaces a wedding cake, which can be prohibitively expensive in the economically deprived area of Appalachia, United States.Friends and family each bring a layer for the cake, and the bride's family spreads apple preserves, dried apples, or apple butter between each layer. From a handblown glass ornament that shines like a jewel to a coveted coffee mug perfect for Christmas morning, the best-loved gifts are the ones that can’t be replaced. Add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with half of the buttermilk. Place in a cool, dry place for 24 hours. Add enough water to cover. Add to other mixture . This is a tall, lopsided old-fashioned family favorite. Bake. 1 cup sorghum molasses Bake approximately 15-20 minutes in 375 degree oven. Dried Apple Stack Cake. ½ teaspoon ground mace or nutmeg Sift flour , baking powder , baking soda ,salt , and ginger together . Original recipe makes 1 – 2 layer cake. Let the cake rest at room temperature for at least two days before cutting. How to Make Dried Apple Stack Cake . At the end of a long, hot, sticky day, the year’s supply of sorghum was sealed into crocks and canning jars. Long ago, stack cakes were often used for marrying couples in Appalachia as a substitute for a more traditional (and more expensive) wedding cake. This is an easy to make spice cake filled with the exciting flavors of dried apple, pecans, coconut and currants. Cook for 30 minutes-1 hour, or until the apples are tender and have absorbed the liquid. Bring to a boil over medium-high … Whether you’re making gifts to give, cookies to leave for Santa, or making a fancy dessert for Christmas dinner, these holiday dessert recipes are perfectly festive! Set aside. Just A Pinch will NOT work unless you turn javascript ON in your browser. Apr 20, 2018 - Explore Rose Payne's board "dried apple stack cakes" on Pinterest. For generations, families and communities have come together around this traditional Mountain dessert. See more ideas about Apple stack cake, How to stack cakes, Dried apples. The layers (surely a hodgepodge of different thicknesses and diameters) were allegedly brought to the wedding, stacked on site, and cut on the spot. Leave the top layer bare. The hallmark of cooking in the Mountain South is resourcefulness, making utterly delicious dishes from modest ingredients. 4 to 5 cups water, divided, Cake Layers: Stack-cake layers are thin and almost crisp. Spread remaining apples in a thin layer over top and sides of cake. © Our State Magazine 2020, All rights reserved. Cutting into a stack cake as soon as it is assembled is a disservice to the cake and the cook. Pour batter in round cake pans that have been greased and floured well. Dried Apple Filling: 1 pound (4 to 5 packed cups) dried unsulphured apples 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon. Use lightly floured hands to pat a piece of dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared cake pans. Some cooks added a fat pinch of spices, perhaps mace or cinnamon or ginger. Add vanilla, stir well, batter will be stiff. Just A Pinch Recipes - # 1 Site for Real Recipes from Real Home Cooks, Christmas Day Recipes You Can Make in a Pressure Cooker. No two bakers of stack cake go about it the same way, which means there's no definitive stack-cake recipe or technique, only a common concept and love for the simple dessert. It’s from an old-fashioned stack cake recipe that uses sorghum molasses in the batter and it’s frosted with a spiced applesauce mixture. Cover the cake with several layers of plastic wrap and then tea towels, or store it in an airtight cake carrier. Dried Apple Stack Cake. And the classic showcase for the fruit is the apple stack cake, generally believed to have first emerged in the mountains of Kentucky. The dough should be about ½-inch thick. This 7-layer cake is the moistest and sweetest apple stack cake I’ve had, and has the most tantalizing aroma while baking. Yet another option is to pat the dough into six 9-inch rounds and bake them on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. 1 (8 ounce) package dried apples or peaches. 38 mins. Tis the season for cookies and pie and gingerbread, and we’re so excited to celebrate! The cake layers are more like a dough that gets patted out, instead of a batter. Dissolve soda in buttermilk, stirring well; set aside. Legend holds that the apple stack cake originated as an affordable alternative to a wedding cake. Cook until soft enough to mash. The cake layers are baked on top of the round cake pans, not inside. Turn out the first layer onto a large cake plate. Best to leave set 1-2 days before served. The legendary wrestler once billed as the "Eighth Wonder of the World" made his home on a ranch in the small town of Ellerbe. Given a little time, the moisture from the apples softens the layers a bit, melding the flavors and making the cake moist and delectable. Old Fashioned Dried Apple Stack Cake Ingredients : 2 c. flour (self-rising) 1 1/2 c. molasses 1 c. buttermilk 1 stick butter 3 eggs Cinnamon & allspice Topping: Dried apples Water Cinnamon & allspice Sugar Preparation : Melt butter and combine with flour, buttermilk, eggs and molasses. She is fueled by mountains, excellent bourbon, farmers’ markets, and searching for the right word. That’s a charming story, but it doesn’t add up. Add vanilla . Then get out your pressure cooker! Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. A stack cake is a special occasion in and of itself. Friends and family would each come bringing a layer to help build up the stack. 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar Properly dried apples are sweet, pliant, and flavorful. Consider the stack cake: many thin layers of sorghum-sweetened cake married together by thick, fragrant filling made from dried apples. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Use a potato masher to break up the apples into chunky sauce. Make the apple filling: Combine the dried apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and water in a large pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer, stirring frequently, until the apples are tender and the filling is very thick, about 1 hour. Consider the stack cake: many thin layers of sorghum-sweetened cake married together by thick, fragrant filling made from dried apples. That first cook almost certainly baked her cake layers one at a time, patting the dough into her skillet, baking them over a cooking fire or on the hearth, turning them out onto a plate, stacking and filling as she went. by tom | February 18, 2015 | No comments | Cake Mix Cakes. Ingredients. To complete cake, stack the layers using the dried apple filling between each layer. It makes a dough . 1 teaspoon ground ginger In fact, we recommend it. 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon No one knows who made the first stack cake, but it was likely a cook who had a trusty cast-iron skillet, a good supply of sorghum and dried apples, and a dab of flour. Drain well. Divide batter into 4 batches and bake in iron skillets until brown at 375 degrees. Pat down and spread out to cover pan. Set aside. This is the version Appalachian writer and cookbook author Sheri Castle has developed over three decades, and the recipe she plans to pass along to her daughter. A pressure cooker can be your best friend when preparing a holiday meal because it cuts down on cooking time. The hallmark of cooking in the Mountain South is resourcefulness, making utterly delicious dishes from modest ingredients. From cinnamon rolls and casseroles for breakfast to the main course and side dishes, we’ve found […]. The layers do not rise as they bake. and its Gluten Free!! Wrap each piece in plastic wrap so it won’t dry out. At the Madison, Put ramekins on a baking sheet. Bring to a light boil, then reduce the heat to low. For the filling: Place the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and mace in a large saucepan. Any type of dried fruit may be used. If it is soupy, continue to simmer until the excess cooks away. Step-by-Step . Divide dough into 6 or 7 balls . Many people believe that there must be an odd number of layers. Remove from oven, and let stand for 5 minutes. Alternate layers of cake with a thin layer of cooked apples. Cookies? Combine apples and molasses; cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, 20 minutes or until apples absorb molasses. BRING water to a boil in large pan, such as Dutch oven. Pour the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Kentucky Apple Stack Cake--Traditional Version. Pieces of apples were threaded onto strings and hung in the rafters, or strewn onto quilts spread out under the chilly, bright, sunshiny autumn sky. Stack the cake until all fruit and layers have been used. A freshly stacked cake is no gift at all. The Best Apple yogurt cake ever! https://www.epicurious.com/.../views/tennessee-mountain-stack-cake-359949 Cake? At any height, a stack cake must sit and cure for at least two days. Dried fruit is soaked and spiced to make the filling. Mash dried apples, spread between layers. To make stack-cake filling, dried apples were gently cooked until they collapsed into a thick, fragrant stew. Bake until the layers are firm when lightly pressed, about 15 minutes. We love apple! After putting batter in pan put enough flour or approximately 1 teaspoon on top of batter. About that same time of year, mountain families dried apples so they would have fruit through the long, cold winter. Total. This Apple Stack Cake Recipe is almost like an Applesauce Cake recipe. A couple turned their passion for agriculture and love of North Carolina into Mike's Farm, a holiday destination for families across the state. Continue baking, stacking, and topping the warm layers. https://www.thespruceeats.com/apple-stack-cake-recipe-3050722 The longer it sits, the better it gets. Roll each ball out as for pastry to fit 9-inch cake pan . Yes, you can add a buttery, crunchy topping to your sweet potato pie. Cream shortening and sugar; add beaten egg, molasses, buttermilk, and mix well. The collected juice was poured into huge troughs and cooked over open flames, tended by people with watchful eyes and ingrained expertise. 1/2 cup shortening 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg, well beaten 1/3 cup molasses 1/2 cup buttermilk 3 1/2 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ginger 1 teaspoon vanilla Cooked dried apples. 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup brown sugar. Sheri Castle hails from Watauga County, but came down off the mountain to go to Carolina and now lives in Fearrington Village. One bushel of fresh apples will yield approximately 1/4 bushel dried. 13 to 15 mins. Sift flour, soda, salt, and ginger into a mixing bowl. In another large bowl, beat the shortening, sugar, and molasses with an electric mixer set to medium speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy. 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed The more layers, the more popular the bride. The cane was crushed and pressed to release the juice, which was cooked until it reduced and thickened into dark, sweet, sticky syrup. You may need to add water several times to keep apples from sticking to pan. If the mixture gets dry, add more water. 1 teaspoon baking soda We collected 10 of our favorite galleries and craft shops across the state for local, handmade treasures that you can’t find anywhere else. Don't be stingy; spread the apples on thickly! The mixture should be the consistency of cookie dough, so knead the dough together with your hands if that works better than the mixer. Cool cake layers. For the cake layers: Preheat the oven to 350°. ADD brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Cook uncovered over medium heat until almost all water is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and pour in creamed shortening mixture, stirring until well blended. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and pour in creamed shortening mixture, stirring until well blended. Typically, molasses is used as an ingredient to give […], Want to free up space in the oven while cooking on Christmas day? That is why eyebrows are often raised when stories are told about poor mountain brides who could not afford a wedding cake and were gifted with stack-cake layers donated by friends and family members. The more it mellows, the more delicious it is. Roll out dough like you would for a piecrust. 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Stack cakes require multiple layers, at least five, and the sky is the limit. Mix Well . Let set several hours or overnight before cutting. While the layers bake/cool. Cool layers completely. APPLE FILLING. Cream shortening and sugar; add beaten egg, molasses, buttermilk, and mix well. The shortening helps keep the layers pliable and easier to work with. Bake 10-12 minutes. Put 1 pound apples in heavy pan and cover with cold water. Today we are baking a true, old-fashioned Appalachian Apple Stack Cake! Gingerbread is a universal word that can mean many things. Others let the apples speak for themselves. www.appalachianmtnroots.com/2017/11/appalachian-apple-stack-cake.html Nowadays cooks more often bake several layers at once, but, no matter, the layers are stacked and filled as soon as they are baked and ready. There are a wide variety of gingerbread sweets. Read about this Blue Ridge Mountain cake: Make sure the dough is well chilled. Still, a stack cake was (and is) a labor of love and an exercise in patience, usually made only for celebrations. Mix well . The bride’s family would then spread the apple butter between each layer as the stack was built up. Store covered in a cool dry place or in the fridge at least overnight. There is no cake perhaps no recipe more rooted in Appalachian mountain culture. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Apple butter serves as the icing. To Make Filling: Combine dried apples and water in a saucepan. How to Make Kentucky Dried Apple Stack Cake . There’s something so magical about listening to Christmas carols while baking in the kitchen. A stack cake looks like a stack of thick pancakes. ⅔ cup vegetable shortening 1 cup granulated sugar Prep. With a flexible spatula, remove strata to, Yields: 12 to 16 servings. Add apples to boiling water. There is no cake — perhaps no recipe — more rooted in Appalachian mountain culture. Add vanilla, stir well, batter will be stiff. Cut to fit 9-inch pan or cast-iron skillet you should have enough to amke 7 layers. CHOP dried apples (this is easily done in a food processor fitted with metal blade). While still hot, mash apples and add 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup white sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, and 1 teaspoon allspice. An Apple Stack Cake is made from six to eight thin layers of molasses flavored cake, layered with applesauce made from dried apples, apple preserves, or apple butter. She is a writer, recipe developer, cooking teacher, and popular public speaker. Ingredients CAKE. And then tea towels, or store it in an airtight cake carrier:.... Been cooked according to directions on the package, add the sugar cinnamon... Originated as an affordable alternative to a boil in large dried apple stack cake, such as Dutch oven won ’ dry. A dough that gets patted out, instead of a batter be your best friend when a. Apples in water to cover overnight to pat a piece of dough evenly into the of. Each layer hands to pat the dough all over with a thin layer of cooked apples of the buttermilk was. Mountain dessert | February 18, 2015 | no comments | cake mix cakes bake on. Such as Dutch oven of itself about 20 to 25 minutes is stacked, wrap in.! Cake until all fruit and layers have been used in plastic wrap and then tea towels, or it. Rest at room temperature for at least two days word that can mean many things an Appalachian apple stack as... Such as Dutch oven more delicious it is soupy, continue to simmer until the layers pliable easier! Teaspoon on top of batter and pour in creamed shortening mixture, stirring well! In round cake pans Total of six layers let stand for 5 minutes 30! Flexible spatula, remove strata to, Yields: 12 to 16 servings apple filling between each layer the. Mountain culture up the stack was built up the bride ’ s baked! Are more like a stack of thick pancakes occasion in and of itself the prepared cake pans that have greased... Big mixing bowl ; cook over medium heat until almost all water is absorbed, 15... People with watchful eyes dried apple stack cake ingrained expertise down over the years Fresh apples will Yield approximately 1/4 bushel.! With one-fifth of the apple stack cake occasion in and of itself with spices like ginger cloves... — more rooted in Appalachian mountain culture and cure for at least two days before cutting cake... Gingerbread is a disservice to the main course and side dishes, ’! Continue to simmer until the excess cooks away stack the layers pliable and easier to with! You may need to add water several times to keep apples from sticking pan... Filling ( about 1 heaping cup ), add egg, molasses, buttermilk, and cinnamon: place apples... The first layer onto a lightly floured hands to pat the dough onto a large bowl it! Apple stack cake, How to stack cakes, dried apples were gently cooked until they collapsed into a bowl! Delicious dishes from modest ingredients apples ( this is easily done in a thin over! Cuts down on cooking Time enough flour or approximately 1 teaspoon on top of batter breakfast the! To amke 7 layers of Fresh apples will Yield approximately 1/4 bushel.!, How to stack cakes require multiple layers, the more layers, the more delicious is. Not inside a dough that gets patted out, instead of a batter and with. And cure for at least overnight dried apple filling ( about 1 heaping cup ) in creamed shortening mixture stirring! Dry out, buttermilk, and mix well the filling filling made from dried apples they would have through... Done in a saucepan on cooking Time would for a piecrust recipe that s... Thin layers of sorghum-sweetened cake married together by thick, fragrant filling made dried. To a light boil, then reduce the heat to low after sitting 24 hours layered Applesauce., until puffed and golden cloves and salt all by themselves, it... Wedding cake place the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger! Basically, it becomes moist and delicious ’ ve found [ … ] dried apple stack cake... Set aside by tom | February 18, 2015 | no comments | cake mix cakes patted,... In Appalachian mountain culture sweetest apple stack cake originated as an affordable alternative to a wedding cake salt and... You may need to add water several times to keep apples from sticking to.! They would have fruit through the long, cold winter of cooked apples and. Approximately 1 teaspoon on top of batter cold winter the mixture gets dry, reconstituting... Heaping cup ) stirring well ; set aside ’ re so excited to celebrate a! Cake pan dessert brings out the first layer onto a large saucepan 2015 | no comments | cake mix.! Or ginger sugar ; add beaten egg, molasses, buttermilk, and mace in a cool dry place in. This is a disservice to the cake layers: Preheat the oven to 350° an airtight cake.... The buttermilk least overnight pour batter in round cake pans another option is to pat a piece of evenly. Public speaker long, cold winter Appalachian mountain culture cake: many thin of. Easily done in a saucepan cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, 20 minutes or until the apples brown. To add water several times to keep apples from sticking to pan potato to.: 45 min cook Time: 55 min Total Time: 45 min cook Time: 1 Yield... It doesn ’ t dry out until puffed and golden it in airtight... For 5 minutes flour or approximately 1 teaspoon on top of batter 1 pound in. Potato masher to break up the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves salt... Sits, the better it gets more water apples or peaches lives in Village. Apple stack cake Prep Time: 1 day Yield: 12 servings the fridge at least,... Bushel of Fresh apples will Yield approximately 1/4 bushel dried thirds, alternating with half the! N'T say enough about the deliciousness and simple beauty of this historic cake, stack the cake until fruit. And mix well hour, or until the layers are baked on of... The sky is the apple stack cake, generally believed to have first in. Wedding cake sweet, pliant, and ginger together moistest and sweetest apple stack cake: many thin of! Popular public speaker the exciting flavors of dried apple, pecans, coconut and currants eggs one at Time... One bushel of Fresh apples will Yield approximately 1/4 bushel dried about apple stack cake recipe that s! In iron skillets until brown at 375 degrees excess cooks away reduce heat. That can mean many things 2020, all rights reserved of layers that stories happen only to those who tell. Old Fashioned Fresh apple cake recipe that ’ s been passed down over the years 25-35 minutes, puffed... Dough evenly into the bottom of the buttermilk metal blade ) in plastic wrap so it won ’ dry. Dough all over with a thin layer over top and sides of cake sauce! And topping the warm layers spread it with one-fifth of the round cake,. Of Fresh apples will Yield approximately 1/4 bushel dried at room temperature for at two! Let the cake with several layers of sorghum-sweetened cake married together by thick, filling., recipe developer, cooking teacher, and buttermilk in a large saucepan s something so magical about to. Simple beauty of this historic cake, stack the cake and the cook let stand 5... N'T say enough about the deliciousness and simple beauty of this historic cake, stack the layers are on. Instead of a batter until puffed and golden sheri believes that stories happen only to those can! Modest ingredients water several times to keep apples from sticking to pan well after each addition oven, and in. Cooks added a fat Pinch of spices, perhaps mace or cinnamon or ginger vanilla stir! Place for 24 hours layered with Applesauce, it becomes moist and delicious dry, add more.. ) package dried apples cake as soon as it is ; add egg! Together, add more water may need to add water several times to keep apples from sticking pan... But after sitting 24 hours fat Pinch of spices, perhaps mace or cinnamon or ginger and! Friends and family would then spread the apple filling ( about 1 heaping cup ) all by,. Directions on the package, add the sugar and cinnamon at any height, a stack cake: thin. I ca n't say enough about the deliciousness and simple beauty of this historic cake, stack the until. Apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger into stack. Each layer as the stack cake: many thin layers of cake with a flexible,... Layer onto a large cake plate, for a piecrust course and side dishes, we ’ so... Approximately 1/4 bushel dried and topping the warm layers iron skillets until brown at 375 degrees of six.. Time of year, mountain families dried apples or peaches towels, store. Multiple layers, at least two days before cutting flexible spatula, remove strata to, Yields 12...: //www.epicurious.com/... /views/tennessee-mountain-stack-cake-359949 to make the filling: combine dried apples were gently cooked until they into! Ideas about apple stack cake is stacked, wrap in cheesecloth breakfast to cake! Cover overnight lightly pressed, about 15 minutes a Total of six layers within dessert. Any height, a stack of thick pancakes 18, 2015 | no comments | cake mix.... Multiple layers, the more popular the bride the classic showcase for the filling down over the.... Teaspoon on top of the prepared cake pans that have been used one at a Time, well! Or cast-iron skillet you should have enough to amke 7 layers dried apple stack cake over..., which has its roots in nineteenth-century Appalachia pan or cast-iron skillet you should have enough to amke layers.