Apple Butter Cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 cup (240g) apple butter ((apple butter recipe here))
• 1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil
• 2 cups + 1 tbsp (260g) flour (all-purpose / plain)
• 2 tbsp ground almonds / almond meal ((optional))
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda ((bicarbonate of soda))
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 lb (450g) mascarpone (or brick-style cream cheese)
• 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar ((icing sugar))
• 1/2 cup (120ml) cream (heavy / double )
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Make the cake ---

2. 2

   Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°F). Mist two 8-inch (you can also use three 6-inch cake pans for a triple layer cake) with cake release and line the bottoms with baking paper.

3. 3

   Add the sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl and whisk at high speed until doubled in volume using a hand mixer (or a stand mixer).

4. 4

   Add the apple butter, oil and vanilla and whisk at high speed until batter is smooth.

5. 5

   Sift the flour, almonds if using, baking powder, soda, salt and spices into the wet ingredients and fold together to combine. Rest for five minutes.

6. 6

   Divide the batter between the cake pans and bake in the centre of the oven for 22-25 minutes. The cake is ready when springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. If the tester comes out with wet batter, continue to bake for a few minutes longer and check again.

7. 7

   Leave cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes and carefully turn out onto a wire rack and cover with plastic wrap.

8. 8

   --- Make the frosting ---

9. 9

   Beat the mascarpone, powdered sugar, a little of the cream, cinnamon and vanilla on low speed. Gradually ad the cream and increase the speed until you have firm peaks, scraping the down the bottom and sides of the bowl halfway through.

10. 10

    --- Assemble the cake ---

11. 11

    Transfer the frosting into a large piping bag fitted with a plain round tip. Pipe a ring of frosting around the edge of the bottom cake layer.

12. 12

    Spread apple purée inside the ring and level. Top with second layer (or repeat if you have made three layers) and cover the top with frosting.

13. 13

    Pipe a thick a layer of frosting over the sides of the cake. Use a palette knife to smooth the top of the cake letting the frosting spread over the edges.

14. 14

    Use a side scraper to smooth the frosting on the sides of the cake – using a turntable will make this easier. Use a serrated side scraper to create a pattern (optional).

15. 15

    Drizzle apple butter or caramel sauce around the edge of the cake, letting it drip down the sides.

16. 16

    Pipe any remaining frosting on top of the cake and decorate with small apples or toffee apples. Add a few chopped nuts around the base of the cake to decorate (optional).