I was rolling around ideas for a cake involving Slow-cooker Apple Butter that’s in my refrigerator. The idea of a layer cake using apple butter as a filling appealed to me. For one, the apple butter had already been prepared which took care of a step. Secondly, I really like the taste of my apple butter. I like it a lot. It’s bold in a flavorful sort of way.
The best recipe for a yellow layer cake is 1-2-3-4 Cake. In fact, it’s the only recipe you will ever need for yellow layer cakes. It’s simple enough that you can remember the recipe. It’s as easy as using a box mix, too. Now, I’m not trying to boss you around and take control of all your future yellow layer cake making. I’m simply trying to drive home the point that from scratch cooking is easy.
This cake recipe is nice enough to include a big chunk of the recipe as part of its name.
Here’s how it shakes out: (1) cup of butter (2) cups of sugar (3) cups of self-rising flour and (4) eggs. You’ll need some liquid so add 1 cup of buttermilk and some flavoring so throw in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Outside of that, all you’ll have to remember is the order in which to use the ingredients. That part is self-explanatory. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs. Alternate flour and buttermilk, stir in vanilla. Put in three cake pans, bake at 350 degrees twenty-five to 30 minutes.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is all you have to do to make 3 layers of yellow cake. It’s just that simple. Nothing more, nothing less.
Now, let’s move along to the icing which is just as easy. I promise. Hang in there with me just one more minute.
Here we go: cream 8 ounces of room temperature cream cheese with 1 stick butter. Mix in one pound of powdered sugar. Add a teaspoon of vanilla. Whaddayaknow? We’ve got scratch icing.
Cooking from scratch doesn’t need to be complicated, hard or confusing. It requires a little planning, but not enough that your head wants to explode. If scratch cooking isn’t your bag, that’s no problem at all. You make the rules in your kitchen.
So, this little cake came together quite nicely. I put apple butter filling between two layers and added a dollop of apple butter to the icing.
I shared it with my Bible study class tonight and brought back an empty plate. There’s no greater compliment for a cook.
Y’all come see us!
1-2-3-4 Cake
A historic recipe that traditionally was used for birthday cakes. It’s moist and makes enough batter for three generous layers.
1 cup (2 sticks) of butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
3 cups self-rising flour, sifted
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream butter and sugar, using electric mixer, until light and fluffy, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time and mix well after each addition.
Alternate adding flour and buttermilk to creamed mixture, mixing only until well incorporated. Don’t over mix. Scrape down sides of bowl a few times during mixing.
Stir in vanilla.
Divide batter into three (9 inch) greased and floured cake pans and spread evenly. Pick up pans slightly and drop on counter 2 or 3 times to remove air bubbles and help level out cake batter.
Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans 10 minutes. Place on cooling racks to continue cooling.
Apple Butter Cream Cheese Icing
1 stick butter, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound powdered sugar, plus 1/2 cup
1 tablespoon apple butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.itt
Mix in apple butter and vanilla.
Apple Butter Cake with Apple Butter Cream Cheese Icing
One recipe of 1-2-3-4 cake, cooled
1 cup apple butter
One recipe Apple Butter Cream Cheese Icing
Place one layer of cake on a cake plate. Poke several holes in top with toothpick. Spread 1/2 cup apple butter over top of cake.
Place second layer of cake on stack. Poke several holes in top with toothpick. Spread remaining 1/2 cup of apple butter on cake.
Top stack with third layer of cake.
Frost top and sides with Apple Butter Cream Cheese Icing.
Apple Butter Cake with Apple Butter Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
- 1-2-3-4 Cake
- A historic recipe that traditionally was used for birthday cakes. It's moist and makes enough batter for three generous layers.
- 1 cup 2 sticks of butter, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups self-rising flour sifted
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Apple Butter Cream Cheese Icing
- 1 stick butter room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 pound powdered sugar plus 1/2 cup
- 1 tablespoon apple butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Apple Butter Cake with Apple Butter Cream Cheese Icing
- One recipe of 1-2-3-4 cake cooled
- 1 cup apple butter
- One recipe Apple Butter Cream Cheese Icing
Instructions
- For cake:
- Cream butter and sugar, using electric mixer, until light and fluffy, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add eggs, one at a time and mix well after each addition.
- Alternate adding flour and buttermilk to creamed mixture, mixing only until well incorporated. Don't over mix. Scrape down sides of bowl a few times during mixing.
- Stir in vanilla.
- Divide batter into three (9 inch) greased and floured cake pans and spread evenly. Pick up pans slightly and drop on counter 2 or 3 times to remove air bubbles and help level out cake batter.
- Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans 10 minutes. Place on cooling racks to continue cooling.
- For Icing:
- Cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
- Mix in apple butter and vanilla.
- To assemble:
- Place one layer of cake on a cake plate. Poke several holes in top with toothpick. Spread 1/2 cup apple butter over top of cake.
- Place second layer of cake on stack. Poke several holes in top with toothpick. Spread remaining 1/2 cup of apple butter on cake.
- Top stack with third layer of cake.
- Frost top and sides with Apple Butter Cream Cheese Icing.
Ms. Lizz says
I want to make this cake, but I find self-rising flour too salty for anything especially a cake# I will use all purpose flour and baking powder and use my judgments for salt. I see no reason to change anything else! Thanks for the recipe! Ms. Lizz
Jackie Garvin says
You can easily make those adjustments. I hope you enjoy the cake. 🙂
Jean says
You brought back an empty plate! Must be a heck of a cake….and it sure looks it. Wish I had some right now!
Jackie Garvin says
It’s pretty tasty. This was my test cake. The challenge was to have just enough apple butter to add great flavor but not to much that it’s overpowering. My apple butter makes a statement! I thing I got the proportions just right and won’t make any changes.
Kim Anderson says
I would like to make this cake. Are the 3 cake pans 8″ or 9″? This cake looks delicious.
Jackie Garvin says
Kim,
They’re nine inch. Thanks so much for bringing that to my attention. I edited the post to include the pan size. 🙂
I hope you enjoy the cake!
Tamika says
Oh. My. Word!!! Gonna try soon & will let you know how it turns out!!!!
Jackie Garvin says
Hope you enjoy it, Tamika!
Kay Plants says
How would it be with applesauce instead of apple butter.
Jackie Garvin says
Kay,
I’m not sure you’d get good results with applesauce. For one, the flavor of applesauce is very mild and wouldn’t add a lot of flavor to the filling or the icing. Secondly, applesauce has a lot of water and it may cause the icing to break.
Ricky C Shoemake says
Loved this cake. I Love Apple Butter, always have even when I was very young. I love it on Hot Buttermilk Biscuits and on Graham Crackers stacked between them and wrapped in foil to soften, then slice like a cake. I have even ate between just 2 slices of white bread. Not anything wrong with that, right???……lol
Jackie Garvin says
Nothing wrong at all!
Ricky C Shoemake says
I agree ….lol