Pioneer Wedding Stack Cake (South Dakota)

• 1 cup butter
• 3 eggs
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup mild-flavor molasses
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup buttermilk
• sour milk
• 1 jar chunk-style applesauce
• 1-1/2 cup apple butter
• 2 tsp. apple pie spice (optional)
• 1 cup whipped cream
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts, toasted

1. 1.
2. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temp 30 min.
3. Lightly grease bottoms of (3) 8x11/2-inch round cake pans.
4. Line bottoms of pans w/waxed paper.
5. Grease and lightly flour waxed paper and sides of pans; set aside.
6. In large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ginger.
7. 2.
8. In large mixing bowl, beat butter w/an electric mixer for 30 sec.
9. Gradually add sugar; beat until well-combined.
10. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
11. Add molasses and vanilla; beat until well-combined (mixture will appear curdled).
12. Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.
13. Pour 1 cup plus 2 T of batter into each prepared pan.
14. Refrigerate the remaining batter.
15. 3.
16. Bake in a 375 oven about 15 min, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.
17. Cool for 10 min in pans on wire racks.
18. Remove from pans and completely cool on wire racks.
19. Wash pans; line bottoms w/waxed paper, grease and lightly flour.
20. Repeat with remaining batter.
21. 4.
22. In a med bowl, combine applesauce, apple butter and if you like, apple pie spice.
23. To assemble, select cake layer that's most attractive; set aside for top layer.
24. On a serving plate, place one of the remaining layers; spread about 3⁄4 c of applesauce mixture to within 1⁄2 inch of edge.
25. Repeat with remaining 4 cake layers and applesauce mixture.
26. Place reserved cake layer on top.
27. Cover and chill for at least 6 or up to 24 hours before serving.
28. (Chilling the assembled cake makes it easier to slice.)
29. 5.
30. To serve, remove cake from fridge.
31. Let stand for 1 hour.
32. Just before serving, spread the whipped cream on top; sprinkle w/nuts.
33. If you like, garnish cake platter w/rose petals or edible flowers.
34. Makes 24 servings.
35. Courtesy of: Diana McMillen, "Midwest Living" Magazine

butter, eggs, allpurpose, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, sugar, mildflavor molasses, vanilla, buttermilk, sour milk, applesauce, apple butter, apple pie spice, whipped cream, nuts

Taken from www.foodgeeks.com/recipes/21133 (may not work)