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Apple Spice Layer Cake with Caramel Buttercream

  • Author: Rachel Conners
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 45
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Cuisine: cake

Ingredients

Scale

For the cakes

  • 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 cups white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 6 large eggs
  • 3 cups cake flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3 granny smith apples (peeled and shredded (1 1/22 cups))
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the caramel buttercream

  • 1 1/2 cups caramel (I used Trader Joe’s Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce)
  • 3 sticks butter, room temperature
  • 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone
  • 2 cups pecan pieces, toasted (optional)

For the sugar decorations

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 cup water + 1/6 cup water
  • 1/4 cup light corn syrup + 1 tablespoon corn syrup
  • 1/2 tablespoon strained fresh lemon juice

Instructions

For the cakes

  1. Place one oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and place a second in the top third. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease 3 9-inch cake pans, then line each one with a parchment paper round and grease the rounds.
  2. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the molasses, and scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg. In a medium bowl, sift together the four, baking soda, salt, and ground spices. Add the sour cream and flour mixture alternately to the batter, starting and ending with the flour mixture (flour in 3 increments, sour cream in 2 increments). Stir in the shredded apples and vanilla.
  3. The batter will be thick, so use a spoon to transfer evenly into the three pans. Place 2 of the pans side by side on one rack, and the third on the other rack. Make sure they are staggered so that no layer is directly under or above another. Bake 35-40 minutes, rearranging the layers about halfway through, until firm to the touch. Monitor the layers carefully, as they may be ready at different times.
  4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and carefully unmold the cakes to a cooling rack. Cool completely before icing.

For the caramel buttercream

  1. Cream the butter on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, until fluffy and pale. Add the caramel. Add the powdered sugar over low speed until combined, then add the cream and vanilla. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the mascarpone and beat over low speed just until combined – it may separate and curdle if it’s over beaten.
  2. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate or decorating stand, and spread a layer of icing on top. Top with the second cake, then repeat with more icing, then the final layer. Cover the cake with an even layer of frosting. Pat (or fling) the toasted pecans onto the sides of the cake, then decorate the top as you desire.

For the sugar decorations

  1. Place the sugar and water in a small heavy-bottomed pot. Stir the mixture gently with your hands until it is mixed well. Hold the pot with one hand, bring it close to the faucet and wet your other hand and wipe the sides of the pot, to make sure you don’t feel any more sugar crystals clinging to the sides. Repeat the operation as often as needed.
  2. Place the pot on the stove and set it on high heat. Cover the pot but leave a small opening for the steam to escape. As soon as the mixture comes to a boil, uncover the pot and pour the corn syrup in the center of the mixture. Make sure the corn syrup has dissolved (it will take about one minute) and then cover the pot partially again. Cook without stirring until the mixture is pale yellow or a candy thermometer registers 310 degrees. It will take about 20 minutes of cooking.
  3. Remove the pot from the heat. Pour the lemon juice shaking the pot back and forth until the juice is mixed in well. Boil the mixture again for about 4 minutes until it is pale yellow or 315 degrees on the candy thermometer.
  4. Remove the pot from the heat and set it on a cold surface or in a larger bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process.
  5. Lay down a large piece of greased aluminum foil or parchment paper and with a spoon, lift some sugar and drizzle it on the foil in any shape you want.
  6. Wait a minute for the decoration to stiffen and use immediately.

Notes

Adapted from Pink Parsley

Keywords: cake, caramel, apples, buttercream, dessert, cupcakes, pecans, apple spice, layer cake