Stacked caramel apple cake recipe

Ingredients

• 4 cups [480 g] cake flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1½ cups [330 g] unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, at room temperature
• 2½ cups [500 g] granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 cups [948 g] unsweetened applesauce

• Two 8-oz [230-g] packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup [220 g] unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2½ cups [360 g] confectioners’ sugar

• 1 cup [200 g] granulated sugar
• 6 Tbsp [85 g] salted butter, cut into 6 chunks
• ½ cup [120 ml] heavy cream
• ¼ cup [60 ml] apple butter, homemade or store-bought
• 1¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup [120 g] chopped walnuts for sprinkling on the cake (optional)

1. To make the cake layers, preheat the oven to 325°F [165°C]. Thoroughly butter and flour three 8-in [20-cm] round cake pans, and line the bottoms with parchment paper, cut to fit. (This is a really moist cake, and the parchment ensures it will come out cleanly.)
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed (or in a large bowl, using a handheld mixer), beat the butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat just until combined.
3. With the mixer on low speed, add a third of the flour mixture, and then half the applesauce, mixing after each addition just until combined. Repeat, and then add the final third of the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl to incorporate everything, and mix on low for 30 seconds more.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of each layer comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Set the pans on a wire rack and cool the cake layers in the pans completely. Remove the cake layers from the pans and peel off the parchment paper. To create an even surface for frosting, use a large serrated knife to cut off the dome on the top of each layer, if it’s very rounded. This makes it easier to stack and frost your cake.
5. While the cake is baking, make the cream cheese frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed (or in a large bowl, using a handheld mixer), beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt together until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar. Increase the speed to high and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 1 more minute.
6. To assemble the cake, place one layer on a cake stand or plate and spread the top with enough frosting to create a thick, even layer, smoothing the frosting to the edges. Top with another cake layer, followed by more frosting. Repeat the same process with the final layer. Finish by smoothing a very thin layer of the frosting around the sides of the cake—just enough to barely cover all of it. This is called a “crumb coat” and helps to catch the loose cake crumbs that are particularly ornery with cream cheese frosting.
7. Pop the cake in the refrigerator for 1 hour to set, and then proceed with the final frosting, giving it a nice thick layer all the way around the sides and on top.
8. While the cake is in the refrigerator, make the caramel apple sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar, stirring constantly with a high heat–resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon until it has caramelized, melting completely into an amber-colored liquid. Stir in the butter (it will bubble rapidly) until it is completely melted. Stirring constantly, slowly pour in the cream (it will bubble up). Let the caramel simmer for 1 minute without stirring. Remove from the heat and stir in the apple butter and salt until smooth. Allow the caramel to cool completely (and thicken) before drizzling it over the cake.
9. Drizzle the caramel apple sauce over the top of the cake and pile high with chopped walnuts, if desired. Cake will store, covered and refrigerated, for up to 4 days.