Use six disposable 8-inch aluminum cake pans to create the layers of this stunning cake. Prepare the filling up to three days before assembling the cake.
Ingredients
FILLING
- 3 pounds tart apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
- 3 pounds crisp apples (such as Braeburn or Honeycrisp), peeled and chopped
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 lemon, sliced
CAKE
- Vegetable cooking spray
- 6 (8-inch) round disposable aluminum foil cake pans
- Parchment paper
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
- 1 cup apple butter
Preparation
Prepare Filling
- Bring first 4 ingredients to a light boil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring often, 25 to 30 minutes or until apples are tender and juices thicken.
- Discard lemon slices.
- Cool completely (about 2 hours).
- Cover and chill until ready to use.
Prepare Cake
- Lightly grease disposable cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms of pans with parchment paper, and lightly grease parchment paper.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
- Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
- Stir together apple pie spice and 2 3/4 cups flour in a medium bowl; stir together buttermilk and baking soda in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.
- Stir together pecans and remaining 1/4 cup flour. Fold pecan mixture and apple butter into batter.
- Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Stir about one-third of egg whites into batter; fold in remaining egg whites.
- Divide cake batter among prepared pans, spreading with an offset spatula.
- Bake at 350° for 7 minutes; rotate pans from top rack to bottom rack.
- Bake 7 to 9 more minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Remove cake layers from oven, and brush each with 2 to 3 Tbsp. warm Apple Cider Glaze. (Reserve remaining glaze.) Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks; discard parchment paper. Cool completely (about 30 minutes).
Assemble Cake
- Place 1 layer, glaze-side up, on serving platter.
- Top with 1 1/2 cups filling. Repeat with remaining layers and filling.
- Top last layer with any remaining filling, and drizzle cake with desired amount of reserved Apple Cider Glaze.
Apple Cider Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
- Bring sugar, apple cider, butter, and corn syrup to a boil in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
- Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring constantly, 4 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.
Note:
If necessary, microwave glaze in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 10 to 20 seconds before drizzling over cake.