Appalachian Stack Cake

Chop dried apples and place in a saucepan with brown sugar and spices.

Add 900 ml water, bring to a boil and simmer gently about 60 minutes, stirring often until tender. Add remaining water in portions if it dries out.

Mash the apples and stir in cider syrup.

The filling should mound thickly without liquid running away; keep warm.

Preheat to 175°C.

Grease 23 cm round pans with the reserved shortening and dust lightly with flour. If reusing fewer pans, cool and prepare them again between layers.

Combine flour, sugar, soda, baking powder and salt.

Add sorghum syrup, 110 ml buttermilk, shortening and egg; mix on low to a cookie-like dough. Add remaining buttermilk in portions only if too dry.

Divide into 5 portions and keep covered.

Press each evenly across a pan base, about 5 mm thick, and prick with a fork. Bake each layer 13-15 minutes until firm to a light touch.

Unmold the first hot layer onto a plate and spread with one-quarter of the filling.

Stack each remaining warm layer as it is baked, filling four gaps and leaving the fifth layer bare on top.

After about 30 minutes, when heavy steam subsides, wrap in food-safe wrap and refrigerate.

Do not leave the assembled cake at room temperature for extended storage; mature it refrigerated for 48 hours so the layers absorb moisture.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving to take off the chill.

Dust with sugar, slice and refrigerate leftovers.