Aunt Bonnie's Apple Stack Cake

I have heard about Aunt Bonnie's Apple Stack Cake recipe for 10 years now. It was only this past September that I actually saw one for the first time. We had gone to see the movie The Help and right there on the table in one scene, is an Apple Stack Cake. The man who has been telling me about this cake for all this time, blurts out "there is the apple stack cake" right there in the theatre. I finally saw it.

We came home from the movie starving. Fortunately, sometimes living with a chef does have its advantages. Potato Salad. Other things I really don't remember what they were, there was potato salad. I sat here at the dining table and started searching on the Internet what an Apple Stack Cake was, comparing recipes, and listening to my spouse tell me about the cake, again.

The Apple Stack Cake is the top of the lot of all cakes baked and served in Southern Appalachia. The dried apple stack cake was a favorite at mountain weddings with "in-fares" where people gathered to party. Because wedding cakes were so expensive, neighbor cooks brought layers to donate to the bride's family. The dough for the cake was rolled or pressed out into very thin layers. The family of the bride cooked, sweetened, and spiced dried apples to spread between the layers of cake. The number of layers per stack of her wedding cake often gauged the bride's popularity. Sometimes there would be up to 12 layers, but the most average was 7-8 layers. Along with weddings, the apple stack cake was served at family reunions, church suppers, and other large gatherings.

After reading all the info I could on an Apple Stack Cake, I decided that the  dried apples were the most important ingredient. We were going to be traveling in Amish Country here in Ohio in the next couple of weeks. What a better place to find dried apples. So I did. I bought 3 bags at Amish grocery store in Holmes County, Ohio.

Now lets fast forward to November. It was time to make it. For the layers I used Kroger brand yellow cake mix. I did 2 boxes. Baked 4 layers and cut the layers in half. The dried apples took all day to soak and get soft enough to mash. I started with 1 stock pot and ended up with 2 stocks soaking the dried apples. I had a half gallon of apple cider in the frig and started that as my liquid. I cooked them for about 4 hours. Drained the liquid but kept it. (Great deglazing a pan with pork chops or chicken) Pureed the apples is batches in the food processor. Once all the apples were like applesauce consistency, I added 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup sugar, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground allspice. Let it cool. When cool, stack layers of cake with spiced, sweetened dried apples. Spread between layers and smooth around the sides. I was told Aunt Bonnie didn't frost the top, so I didn't. It really is quite simple to assemble.

The hard part is the waiting to eat it. Everything I read said it has to sit for 24 hours before you make the first cut. The longer it sits, the better it gets. This is so true. It melts in your mouth. By the 3rd day, the whole mouth feel is ecstasy.

Now I have to admit that I wrote this sometime ago. Say, November 9, 2011 when I originally started this post. So I also must admit that I haven't made one since. It was very difficult to find the correct dried apples. I will not have dried apples from China for this cake. I had even planned to make little ones for Christmas gifts and never got around to it because of the apple situation.

Well last night, the first full day of 2012, I order dried apples from amazon.com. I can't believe it. Organic dried apple slices! So I will post pics when completed.