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.

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.

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.