Apple Butter Layer Cake

Layers and layers of deliciousness this Apple Butter Layer Cake is THE cake you want to make this fall. Spiked with apple butter and frosted with a cinnamon buttercream.

A 2 layer cake that is laced with apple butter and cinnamon buttercream towers high over everything. This cake literally screams fall! You’ll be surprised at how easy this gorgeous cake is to make.

Why you’ll love this cake:

• 100% from scratch
• cake and frosting infused with apple butter
• easy and beautiful
• show stopping flavor!

What is apple butter?

Apple butter is apples, sugar and spices cooked down and then blended together to make a thick jam-like sauce. You can use apple butter as a spread just as you would jam, or you can use it as a topping for ice cream or pancakes.

Want to make homemade apple butter? See our recipe here.

How to Make Apple Butter Layer Cake

This cake bakes in 2 8″ round cake pans. By using this size cake pan you’ll have a super tall cake. This will also work in 9″ cake pans and still be nice size. You can also bake it in a 9×13 cake pan. Just watch the baking time because it may vary.

**Be sure to grease with shortening and flour the cake pans.**

• Cream the butter and the sugar together.
• Add the eggs and mix well until the eggs are fully mixed in, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
• Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter alternately with the buttermilk, stirring between each addition. Don’t overmix. Mix just until combined.
• Fold in the apple butter until completely combined.
• Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans. 

Apple Butter Buttercream

If you’re not a fan of frosting then you’re in the wrong place my friends! This apple butter frosting will literally melt in your mouth. This makes enough frosting to frost the entire cake. If you like an extra thick layer of frosting or need extra for decorating, you may want to make 1 ½ times the recipe.

• Beat 1 cup (2 sticks) butter in bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed until light, fluffy, and almost white in appearance.
• Add the apple butter and mix well.
• Then add in the powdered sugar, salt and cinnamon. Beat until well blended.

From here you can add more powdered sugar if it needs to be stiffer, or a drop or two more of apple butter if it needs to be thinner.

How to Quickly Decorate a Cake

You don’t need fancy decorating skills to make a gorgeous cake!

We chose to decorate this cake simply with a handful of pecans and apple slices. Apply the pecans right after frosting so they stick in the frosting. But wait to add the sliced apple until right before serving so it doesn’t turn brown.

Apple Butter Layer Cake

5 from 4 votes

Layers and layers of deliciousness this Apple Butter Layer Cake is THE cake you want to make this fall. Spiked with apple butter and frosted with a cinnamon buttercream.

Servings 15

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Ingredients

 

For the cake:

• ½ cup butter room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup apple butter

For the frosting:

• 1 cup salted butter room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup apple butter
• Dash of salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

 

Make the cake:

• Grease and flour 2 8” round cake pans. Preheat the oven to 325º Fahrenheit.
• Cream the butter and the sugar together.
• Add the eggs and mix well until the eggs are fully mixed in, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
• Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter alternately with the buttermilk, stirring between each addition. Don’t overmix. Mix just until combined.
• Fold in the apple butter until completely combined.
• Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans. Tap a few times to release any air bubbles.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake tests done. The cake should spring back when you touch it.
• Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the frosting:

• Beat 1 cup (2 sticks) butter in bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed until light, fluffy, and almost white in appearance.
• Add the apple butter and mix well.
• Then add in the powdered sugar, salt and cinnamon. Beat until well blended.
• Add more powdered sugar to stiffen the buttercream, or a bit of milk to make the buttercream more spreadable.
• This makes about 2 cups of frosting which gives a nice thin layer all over the cake.

Assemble the cake:

• Place one cake layer down on a plate.
• Spread about ½ cup frosting on the top.
• Place the second cake layer on top.
• Frost the top and outsides of the cake with the remaining frosting.

Notes

The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 15 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**

Nutrition

Calories: 439kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 389mg | Potassium: 87mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg

Author Julie Clark

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Calories 439

Keyword apple cake, thanksgiving cake

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