Bena Mae’s Kitchen: Old-fashioned stack cake

Old-fashioned stack cake

No one knows who made the first stack cake, but it was likely a cook who had a trusty cast-iron skillet, a good supply of sorghum molasses, dried apples and a dab of flour. It is truly a southern favorite (or once was) in kitchens in this area.
That first cook almost certainly made her cake layers, patting the dough into her skillet one at a time, baking them over a cooking fire or on the hearth, turning them out on a plate, stacking and filling them as she went.

During the fall season and along toward the Christmas season, I can’t remember there not being a stack cake in the house when I was a youngster. We loved their moist cinnamon flavor with the taste of molasses and dried apples coming through.
And the older the cake got, the more flavorful it became. Remember this if you’re baking this most delicious fall concoction.

Mama dried her own apples, cutting them up and laying them on screen wire to dry in the sun. Then she stored them in a dry container until the fall season. Baking, filling each layer with the dried apple mixture and stacking them one at a time was very time consuming but it was a labor of love that paid off in big rewards when we took our first bite. And the aroma of spices from the kitchen while they were cooking filled the whole house, making them a double treat.

If you’re in for a bit of nostalgia and a wonderful taste treat, I am sharing with you the recipe that will delight your family and just might become a tradition. And remember, let it set for two days before cutting – the moister, the better.
 

Old-Fashioned Stack Cake

by Barbara Barger: Silver Spring,
Maryland Gourmet  – November 1995

Ingredients For Filling
1 pound dried apple slices
5 cups water
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

For cake layers
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable shortening
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
 
Preparation – Make filling:
In a large bowl combine apples and water and chill, covered, overnight.
Transfer apples and water to a large heavy saucepan (at least 5 quarts) and add sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring, and cook at a low simmer, stirring frequently, until softened, 30 to 40 minutes. Stir in vanilla and cool completely. In a food processor pulse apple mixture in batches until chopped coarse, transferring to a large bowl. Filling may be made one day ahead and chilled, covered.

Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a small bowl stir together buttermilk, baking soda, and baking powder and set aside. Into a large bowl sift together 4 cups flour and salt.

In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat shortening with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in vanilla. Add buttermilk mixture and beat until combined well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until combined well. Add enough of remaining two cups flour, 1/4 cup at a time, to form a soft but not sticky dough.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into six pieces. Working on a lightly floured sheet of wax paper shape each piece into a disk and roll each disk into a 9-inch round. Arrange rounds on wax paper and gently prick dough all over with a fork. Bake layers one at a time on wax paper on a baking sheet in middle of oven until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool layers completely on racks and carefully remove wax paper.

Assemble cake:
Spread one cup filling on one cake layer and top with another cake layer. Continue layering filling and cake layers in same manner, ending with a cake layer. (Reserve any remaining filling for another use.) Chill cake, covered, overnight and bring to room temperature before serving.

Enjoy!