Kentucky Stack Cake

Kentucky Stack Cake Apple Filling: 2 lbs dried apples 1-2 heaping teaspoons cinnamon or apple pie spice (to taste) 1 cup sugar or sweetener of choice (Add an additional 1/2 cup dark brown sugar for a sweeter/darker filling) 4-6 cups water (You may need more. Add more as you go as needed) Cake Layers: 1/2 c veg shortening 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg 1/3 cup sorghum 1/2 cup buttermilk 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 1/2 cups AP flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp ground Ginger For the filling: Place apples in a heavy kettle and add 4 cups water to start. On a med heat brig to a simmer. Reduce heat to med/low, cover and let cook for about 10 minutes covered. Uncover and stir. Add more water if needed. Some types apples will absorb all the water. Cover and cook for 10 minutes and repeat this until apples are tender and start to fall apart. I mash mine with a potato masher. You want the apples thick but not dry. Add the sugar and spices. stir and remove from heat. Set aside while you make the layers. Layers: Pre Heat oven to 350 degrees. To the flour, add soda, ginger and salt. Mix together set aside. In a mixer, cream shortening and sugar for about 2-5 minutes. Add egg, sorghum & vanilla extract. Mix well. Turn you mixer on low and add in the flour a little at a time as you drizzle in the butter milk. Once the dough is full incoorperated turn it out onto a floured surface and form the dough into about a 10 inch log. Cut into 7 pieces. roll each piece into a round ball. Spray a 9 inch round pan with some baking spray (with flour) and press dough into the bottom of the pan evenly. Bake layers for about 10-15 minutes till lightly brown. (I bake 4 pans at a time as I have multiple 9 inch pans) let the layer cool then turn them out on a wire rack to cool. Once cool start assembling the cake. I like to use warm apple filling as it ensures the cake won't be dry. Add about 1 cup apple filling between layers ad repeat till you're out of layers. You can add apples on top or leave it off and dust with powdered sugar right before serving. Cover the cake and let it sit for 24 hours to give it time to absorb all the goodness. refrigeration is optional but my aunt Lucy kept hers out on the table for 3-4 days until it was gone. enjoy!