Apple-Spice Layer Cake with Orange Buttercream

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups peeled, cored, and grated apples (from about 2 large apples)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 pounds confectioners sugar, sifted
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 4 teaspoons grated orange rind
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch of table salt
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup walnut halves
• 1 apple, thinly sliced
• Juice of 1 lemon

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Grease the bottom of three 8-inch cake pans.
3. Line the pans with wax or parchment paper and grease the paper.
4. Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
5. Set aside.
6. In the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy.
7. Beat in the eggs one at a time, and beat until fluffy.
8. Stir in the apples and vanilla.
9. Add the flour mixture in 3 parts alternately with the milk in 2 parts, starting and ending with the flour, and stirring just until blended after each addition.
10. Fold in the walnuts.
11. Pour into the prepared pans.
12. Bake until the center springs back when lightly pressed with a fingertip, about 35 minutes.
13. Let the cake layers cool in the pans on wire racks for 5 minutes.
14. Run a thin knife around the outside and turn out onto racks.
15. Peel off the paper.
16. Flip them over to completely cool right-side up on the racks.
17. If not assembling right away, cover the layers in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for 1 day.
18. Meanwhile, prepare the orange buttercream frosting: In the work bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter until soft.
19. Add the sugar in 3 parts alternately with the orange juice in 2 parts, beating constantly until creamy and smooth.
20. Stir in 3 teaspoons of the orange rind, along with the vanilla and salt.
21. Set aside.
22. To prepare the filling, in a small bowl, mix the cream cheese with a fork until softened.
23. Add 1/2 cup of the orange mixture and the remaining 1 teaspoon of orange zest and stir until well blended.
24. 8.
25. When ready to fill and frost the cake, hold a serrated knife horizontally and use a gentle sawing motion to shave the domed top off each layer.
26. Arrange one layer on a cake serving plate.
27. Place half of the filling on top and use an offset spatula to spread the filling to the edges of the layer.
28. Place a second layer on top.
29. Place the remaining filling on top and spread it as for the first layer.
30. Top with the final cake layer.
31. Frost the sides and top of the cake with the frosting, using a crumb coat (page 202).
32. If desired, garnish the cake with nuts and apples: Decorate the sides of the cake with the nuts.
33. In a small bowl, gently toss the apple slices in lemon juice and arrange them on top of the cake just before serving.
34. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, salt, unsalted butter, sugar, eggs, apples, vanilla, milk, walnuts, unsalted butter, confectioners sugar, orange juice, orange rind, vanilla, salt, cream cheese, walnut halves, apple, lemon

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/apple-spice-layer-cake-with-orange-buttercream-377937 (may not work)