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Food

Rustic Apple Cider Cake Recipe

Three layers of apple cider buttercream sandwiched between three layers of apple cider cake.
Rustic Apple Cider Cake Recipe
Sydney Kramer

Use that leftover holiday cider to make an easy three-layer cake that will please any apple lover.

Servings: 8
Prep time: 1 hour
Total time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

for the apple cider cake:
½ cup unsalted butter, cubed
¾ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup|80 ml packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
⅓ cup|80 ml vegetable oil
1 cup|237 ml apple cider
½ cup|118 ml buttermilk
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

apple cider buttercream:
2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
5 to 5 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons apple cider
dash of ground cinnamon
sprinkles, for decoration (optional)

Directions

  1. Heat your oven to 350°F and line (3) 8-inch cake pans with parchment, then grease with butter or non-stick spray. Set aside. In the bowl of your mixer, beat together your butter and sugars until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in your eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add in your vegetable oil and beat to combine.
  2. Place your apple cider and buttermilk in a medium-sized bowl. In another bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add your dry and wet mixtures to your batter in alternating batches, that is to say, add in ⅓ of your flour, mix to combine, add in ½ of your cider and milk mixture, mix to combine, add in another ⅓ of flour, then the rest of your milk and cider, then the rest of your flour. This gradual adding will ensure that you don't overmix your batter. Scrape down the bowl as needed, and divide your batter among your three prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes or so, until set. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
  3. When you're ready to make your frosting, beat together your butter, powdered sugar, cider, and cinnamon until smooth. When you're ready, place a small dollop of frosting on a cake board or whatever surface you'll be frosting your cake on, then place your first layer on top of that dollop (this secures your cake in place). Because this cake is rustic, you don't have to worry about leveling it off, so add your first layer, spread ⅓ of your frosting over it, add your second layer, spread another ⅓ of frosting over that layer, and finally top with the last year and spread the rest of your frosting over the top. Sprinkle with any extra sprinkles and enjoy. This cake will keep well, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

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