Shelly's Recipe

Country Apple Cake

Category: Cakes

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups coarsely shredded peeled tart green apples (3 medium
1 cup (4 oz) chopped walnuts

Butterscotch Butter Frosting
3 large eggs
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract

Cake: Preheat oven to 350, placing the rack in the center of the oven. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with rounds of waxed paper, grease and flour, tapping out the excess flour.

In a medium bowl sift the dry ingredients.

In a large bowl combine sugar and next 4 ingredients; beat until blended. Stir in flour mixture, then the apples and walnuts. Divide the batter (it will be thick) among the three pans, smoothing the tops. Firmly tap them on surface to level. Bake until the tops spring back when lightly touched and a toothpack inserted near the center emerges clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool in pans on rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and invert onto racks and turn all right side up. Peel off paper and cool ckes completely.

Brush crumbs from cakes. Place one layer, right side up, on serving plate. Spread 3/4 cups frosting. Ads another layer, repeat with frosting. Add top layer and use remaining frosting to frost top and sides. Chill if desired.

Frosting: Fill a large saucepan with about 1 inch of boiled water and reduced to a simmer. Keeping it there.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs until frothy. Add brown sugar and whisk until smooth. Place over the simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water) and whisk constantly until the mixture is just slightly warm and the grains of sugar have dissolved, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from the bowl from the pan and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Place the butter in a deep medium-sized bowl and beat until fluffy. Gradually beat in the cooled sugar mixture until smooth and fluffy, then beat in the vanilla. Use right away to frost a cake. The buttercream will set when chilled.