Recipe: Appalachian Wedding Cake (using Black Strap Molasses) For Rosemary

APPALACHIAN WEDDING CAKE
Source: From Susan C. Bridges at Appalachian Mountain Gourmet

3/4 cup lard (shortening)
1 cup black strap molasses
1 cup sweet milk (raw)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3 cups sweetened cooked dried apples

Cook 1 1/2 dried apples in 2 cups water and 3/4 cup sugar until apples are plumped back up and most of water is absorbed. Chop apples fine while in cooking pot, until they resemble coarse applesauce. Mix together in medium bowl flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Cream lard or shortening, then add sugar, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Add molasses to shortening and sugar, beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. To this, add flour mixture and milk in small amounts, alternately, and beat until smooth. Grease well a large cast iron skillet, well seasoned, and pour into this 1 cup of cake mixture. Smooth with back of spoon over bottom of skillet. Bake on top of stove over medium-low heat, until bottom is lightly browned, and top is puffy. Carefully, using two large metal spatulas, turn cake over and cook top until lightly browned. Turn out cake onto dishtowel, and cover to keep warm. Cook other layers until batter is used up.

To assemble cake, place a layer of cake on platter, top with 1/2 cup of cooked apples, spread apples over top of cake to edges. Top with additional cake layers and apples, and finish with apples on top. This cake was made for weddings back in the Appalachian Mountains, because it could be carried to the wedding, and assembled on the spot. The bride's popularity was measured by the number of cakes, and the number of stacks on each cake.