The Appalachian wedding-and-funeral cake of stacked spiced ginger biscuit layers cemented with dried-apple butter, sliced thin and aged a day before serving.

Stack cake originated in Appalachian Kentucky and East Tennessee in the 1800s as a community-built wedding cake where each guest brought a layer to be assembled at the reception with home-canned apple butter or dried-apple filling between each. Magpies Bakery on North Central runs the modern Knoxville version on its special-order menu, and East Tennessee bakeries serve it during apple season from late August through November.

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Make it at home

Serves 1224 hrIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dried apples
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup sorghum molasses
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • Powdered sugar for dusting

Method

  1. Simmer dried apples, cider, brown sugar, cinnamon and allspice in a heavy saucepan until the apples break down, 25 minutes. Mash with a fork. Cool.
  2. Heat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans.
  3. Whisk flour, baking soda and ginger in a large bowl.
  4. In a second bowl, combine buttermilk, sorghum, melted butter and egg.
  5. Stir the wet into the dry and knead briefly to a soft dough.
  6. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Pat each into a 9-inch round about 1/4 inch thick.
  7. Bake the rounds 2 at a time, 8 to 10 minutes per pair, until lightly browned. Cool completely.
  8. Stack the layers with apple butter between each. Wrap and refrigerate 24 hours before serving so the layers soften and the flavors meld.
  9. Dust with powdered sugar and slice thin to serve.

Editor tip. The 24-hour rest is non-negotiable; without it the cake tastes raw. This is a cake to make the day before.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs.