The cake can be baked in two or three layers (I prefer three), adjusting the cooking time so the cake doesn’t overcook. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour the cake pans (2-9" or 3-8" pans).
Using a mixer at medium speed, cream together:
½ cup Crisco
1 cup sugar
Beat in: 3 eggs, added one at a time, until the mixture is fluffy.
Stir in: 1 ¼ c. of the cooled apple butter
Sift together: 2 ½ cups cake flour
3 tsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. Baking soda
½ tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp. Nutmeg
¼ tsp. Cloves
With mixer on low speed add dry ingredients alternately to creamed mixture with:
1 cup sour milk (add 1 tsp. White Vinegar to 1 cup milk and let it sit for five minutes)
Pour batter evenly into the greased pans and bake for 30 min. Test with toothpick for doneness. Let the cakes sit in the pans for 5 minutes after removing them from the oven. Cool the layers completely on racks before frosting.
To make the cream cheese frosting, blend the following on a slow mixer speed, then beat on high for 1 minute:
¼ cup butter, softened
4 oz. package of cream cheese, softened
½ cup Crisco
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 box 10x sugar
½ cup pecan chips, if desired
Place a cake layer on the cake plate and spread it with ¼ cup apple butter. Frost this layer with the cream cheese frosting, then do the same with the remaining layer(s). Frost the top and sides of the cake and swirl the remaining apple butter on the frosted top.
As a last step, slice apples (1 or 2, depending on the size of the apples) into very thin wedges, no more than ¼ inch at the outside. Dip the wedges into a little lemon juice and then pat them dry. Press the wedges into the sides of the cake with the "peel" side showing. It’s easiest to do by working with two wedges at a time on opposite sides of the cake. At least twelve or fourteen thin wedges should fit around the cake. Refrigerate the cake, uncovered for at least 8 hours (overnight is even better) before eating.
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Copyright © 2008 Georgia Ana Larson, All rights reserved
Make your own apple butter to use in this recipe. If you use any bought variety, the cake will be bitter. To make apple butter, you have to start with applesauce, and you’ll need 15 oz. of it for the recipe. You can make your own applesauce from fresh apples by boiling pared, sliced apples with a small amount of water (enough to almost cover the slices) and sweetened with sugar to taste. Once you have the applesauce (you can use a 15 oz. jar from the store, too), you cook the following over medium heat until it has a buttery texture. Then, allow it to cool before proceeding: 