Appalachian Apple Stack Cake for Colleen
This recipe is fairly "new" to me, it's one made by Elery's Mother and a Christmas tradition in their family. His Mother died before he met me, and no one had taken on the challenge of making "Nanny's" apple stack cake. Elery kept talking about it, though, and remembering and so I decided that it was time. I even dehydrated apples especially for use in this recipe, because I wanted it to be just like he remembered.
Being a Yankee, I know nothing of stack cakes. There is an old story that says it was a wedding cake, and that each guest brought a layer and the more layers there were the more "popular" the bride and groom. I think that's been de-bunked, but it's a nice story.
Anyway, last year I made the filling too runny, I think, and so this year I cooked it longer. You're supposed to assemble a day ahead so that the filling can permeate the cookie-type layers. Last year's was just too soggy, I think, and Elery wouldn't really say but he did comment that he thought maybe thicker filling would be a good idea. This year I cooked the filling longer and tomorrow when we eat it we'll see how it turns out.
The recipe says it makes 7 layers but I measure 1/2 cup per pan and still only get 6 and the layers are pretty thin, so this year I stuck with 6. This is last year's picture. I've seen some recipes that take buttermilk and seem more like cake than this one, these layers are more like cookies. I've also seen the addition of cloves or ginger and I'd like that, but then it wouldn't be "Nanny's", so I don't fiddle with it.
Vola Barnes' Apple Stack Cake
Cake:
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Filling:
2 eight oz. packages dried apples\
5 cups wter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
This recipe makes seven 8 inch rounds. (I only get six from this)
Stir together flour, soda & cream of tartar. Cream sugar, shortening and butter until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, then flour mixture, beating at low speed. Put 1/2 cup of dough into each greased and floured cake pan, as many pans as will fit in your oven. Bake for 8-10 minutes, cool a couple of minutes in the pan then turn out onto racks to cool completely.
Simmer apples and water for 45-50 minutes or until apples are very soft. Add sugar and spices and mash the apples. While filling is still hot, stack layers, spreading filling on each layer before adding the next layer. Chill several hours covered.
Serves 16
So, Colleen, there you go. It's not chocolate (grin), but add some whipped cream and it's dessert!
Annie
Comments (17)
7 years ago
7 years agoRelated Discussions
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annie1992Original Author