Can I use store-brought apple butter?

Absolutely! Use a brand that you love and skip making your own.

What do I do if I don't have cake flour?

You can make your own version of cake flour in a pinch. Measure out the needed amount of all-purpose flour - 210g (1 3/4 cup) - and replace 3 tablespoons of the flour with 3 tablespoons cornstarch.

Why is there butter and oil in the cake recipe?

I love using both oil and butter in golden cakes. The butter brings flavor, and the oil brings a light and fluffy texture. Balancing the two is a great combination for a final cake.

How do I get level, flat cake layers?

The trick is to use cake strips around the pans! Domed cakes happen because the edges cook faster than the center, so the center continues to rise longer than the outside. To combat this, you can use a cake strip soaked in water which is slow down how fast the edge set. You can find cake strips in the store, or make your own by cutting up an old kitchen towel in strips as wide as your cake pans. Soak the strips in water and secure (I use an all-metal binder clip!)

Apple Layer Cake | Quiet Baking Day

Description

Perfect for apple season, this Apple Layer Cake serves up moist apple butter cake layers with a spiced apple compote and cinnamon buttercream.

Ingredients

Units

Apple Compote

4 cups 1/2″ diced Granny Smith apples, peeled and cores removed (about 4 apples)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon bourbon or whiskey (optional)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 teaspoon salt

Apple Cake

210g cake flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
100g unsalted butter, room temperature
225g granulated sugar
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
90g (1/4 cup) apple butter (homemade or store-bought)

Cinnamon Buttercream

1 batch Swiss Meringue Buttercream
2 teaspoons cinnamon

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Instructions

Apple Compote: Combine all compote ingredients into a small saucepan. Simmer on medium-low until apples are softened, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool completely.
Apple Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line 3-6″ pans with parchment paper. Sift together cake flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand-mixer with a paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl, whip together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Add oil.
Add eggs one and a time, then vanilla.
Alternating between the dry ingredient mixture and milk, add 1/3 of the dry, then 1/2 of the milk, waiting for the previous ingredient to be almost incorporated before adding the next.
Stir in apple butter. Divide evenly between prepared pans. Tap once on countertop to release any large air bubbles. Bake for 25-29 minutes, until cake starts to pull away from pans and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool enough to touch before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool completely before icing.
Cinnamon Buttercream: Add cinnamon to prepared buttercream.
Create Layer Cake: Trim top of cake layers to create a flat layer with long serrated knife. Place a layer of buttercream on the first cake layer. Using a piping bag or Ziplock bag, pipe a 1/2″ border of buttercream around the outer edge of the cake. Fill with compote to the top of the border, pressing down slightly to create a sturdy layer. Repeat with second layer.
Top with final layer of cake. Cover outside in buttercream. Decorate using apple slices, pecans, or dusted cinnamon as desired.

Notes

Cakes can be baked the day before and wrapped tightly once cooled completely.
Baked, unfilled cakes, can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 3 months.
Store layer cake in airtight container in fridge. Allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Keywords: apple season, fall baking