Ingredients:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

11⁄2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

5 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 teaspoon apple pie spice

2 cups whole buttermilk

3⁄4 cup molasses

1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1⁄2 cup honey

apple filling (recipe follows)

2 cups sweetened whipped cream

garnish: apple pie spice

3 (4.5-ounce) packages dried apples (filling)

3 cups water (filling)

2 cups sugar (filling)

1⁄4 cup unsalted butter (filling)

2 tablespoons molasses (filling)

3 teaspoons apple pie spice (filling)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with baking spray with flour.

2. In a large bowl, beat 1 cup butter and sugar with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and apple pie spice. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and molasses. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into prepared pans (smoothing tops if necessary).

4. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 28 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks. Using a serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half horizontally.

5. In a small saucepan, heat honey and remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat until butter is melted.

6. Brush cake with honey mixture. Spread Apple Filling between layers. Top with whipped cream. Garnish with apple pie spice, if desired

7. Apple Filling. In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil; let boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool completely.

8. In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse mixture 5 to 6 times until coarsely chopped.

Bon Appetit!