Cider Spice Cake

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus additional
• unsalted butter, for greasing
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional
• all-purpose flour, for dusting
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2/3 cup apple cider (not filtered)
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature for 30 minutes
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup apple cider (not filtered)
• 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened

Recipe

• 1 make cake: put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°f butter 2 (8- by 2-inch) round cake pans and dust with flour, knocking out excess.
• 2 whisk together flour (1 1/2 cups), baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice in a medium bowl.
• 3 combine apple cider and lemon juice in a small measuring cup.
• 4 beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, then add brown sugar and beat until combined. add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition (mixture will look curdled).
• 5 reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and cider mixture alternately in 3 batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just combined.
• 6 divide batter between cake pans (batter will form a thin layer) and rap pans on work surface once to release any large air bubbles.
• 7 bake cake layers until they begin to pull away from sides of pans and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of each cake layer comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
• 8 cool cake layers in pans on racks 5 minutes, then run a thin knife around edge of each layer and invert layers onto racks. cool completely, at least 1 hour.
• 9 make buttercream while cakes cool: whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan.
• 10 whisk in cider, then bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking constantly, and boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute (mixture will be very thick).
• 11 transfer to a metal bowl and set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water, then stir occasionally until cool, about 30 minutes.
• 12 beat butter in a large bowl with cleaned beaters at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, then add one third of cider mixture and beat until incorporated.
• 13 add remaining cider mixture and continue beating until smooth.
• 14 when cakes are cool, arrange 1 layer flat side up on a flat serving plate or cake stand and spread top with 3/4 cup buttercream. top with remaining cake layer flat side up.
• 15 frost top and side of cake with remaining buttercream. chill 2 hours before serving (to firm up buttercream).