There are apples galore in this cake: grated apples, sliced apples and dried apples. And apple butter to add some great extra flavor.
2 medium baking apples, Honeycrisp or Gala
⅓ cup butter, melted
1⅔ cups packed dark brown sugar
1 cup apple butter (recommended; Kime’s Sugar Free Apple Butter)
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup finely chopped dried apples
1 recipe Maple Icing, below
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9x2-inch pan; set aside. Peel, core, and coarsely shred one apple using a box grater; thinly slice remaining apple. Cover; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar, apple butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; whisk to combine. Fold in dried and fresh shredded apple. Spread batter into prepared pan. Arrange apples slices over batter.
Bake 40 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack. Pour Maple Icing over hot cake; spread evenly. Dust with cinnamon and sugar.
Maple icing:
In a small bowl stir together ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 tbsp melted butter, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp milk and ¼ tsp vanilla until smooth.
