The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook - Martha Stewart Living Magazine [310]
5. Place the second cake layer, cut side down, on top; press gently to make it level. Frost the top and sides of assembled cake with the remaining frosting.
apple-ginger stack cake
MAKES ONE 9-INCH LAYER CAKE
5 cups dried apples (about ¾ pound)
5 cups apple cider
12/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pans
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
1 large egg
1 cup unsulfured molasses
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
1. Bring the apples and cider to a boil in a large pot. Reduce to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples begin to soften and the liquid has reduced, 40 to 50 minutes. Add 1 cup water; cook, mashing the apples slightly, until the liquid has reduced, about 10 minutes. Add 2/3 cup granulated sugar and ½ cup water; simmer until the apples are very soft and coated in syrup, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter 2 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Set aside.
3. Put the butter and the remaining cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low; mix in the egg, molasses, buttermilk, baking soda, flour, spices, and salt.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean and the tops spring back when lightly touched, about 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pans to loosen; invert to unmold. Remove the parchment; reinvert onto the racks. Let cool.
5. Using a long serrated knife, cut each cake in half horizontally. Place 1 bottom layer on a serving platter. Top with one-third of the apple mixture, spreading to the edges. Stack 1 top layer on the apples, and top with another one-third of the apple mixture. Repeat with the remaining cake bottom and apples, and top with the remaining cake top. Let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour before serving. Sift confectioners’ sugar over the top of the cake.
chocolate-ginger cake with bourbon sauce
MAKES ONE 9-INCH BUNDT CAKE
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan
½ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
½ cup unsulfured molasses
¾ cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
¼ cup whole milk
2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Bourbon Sauce (recipe follows)
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter a 9-inch Bundt pan. Dust with cocoa powder, and tap out excess; set aside. Put the butter, molasses, brown sugar, and ¼ cup water in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the butter has melted. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Let cool 5 minutes.
2. Add the eggs, milk, and grated ginger to the molasses mixture; whisk to combine. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, and cinnamon into a medium bowl.
3. Gently fold the flour mixture into the molasses mixture until just combined. (There should be lumps remaining.) Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
4. Invert the cake, and unmold onto a cake stand or a large serving platter. Using a spoon, drizzle the warm bourbon sauce over the cake in a back-and-forth motion. Serve immediately.
bourbon sauce
MAKES 1¼ CUPS
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 large egg yolks
1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla