CAKE

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease & lightly flour six 9-inch cake pans and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
3. Mix the batter: Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed for about 2 minutes until the butter is light and creamy. Add the sugar and beat on medium-high speed until the sugar is incorporated and the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 more minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Add the molasses and mix on medium speed until all ingredients are well combined. Add the flour and buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
4. Divide batter: Measure out 1 cup of batter for each cake pan. Use a small offset spatula to spread the batter evenly across the bottom of each cake pan. This is a thick batter, therefore, you can’t shake the pan back and forth to level out the filling. Try to make sure it’s leveled out evenly, and the center is not thicker than the remaining batter. Bake the cakes 2 to 3 at a time, depending on how many cake pans you have. It doesn’t hurt to leave the batter sitting out on the counter while some of the cakes bake. I bake 2 cakes at a time.
5. Bake the cakes for 12 to 15 minutes and promptly remove from the oven. Mine took 13 minutes each time, but ovens vary. Allow the cakes to cool for 5 minutes in the pans. Run a thin knife around the edges. Then, holding a hand on each side of the pan, gently shake the top edge of the pan up and down  rotating the pan as you go. Gently shake until you feel the cake break away from the bottom of the pan all the way around. Invert the cake onto a piece of waxed paper. Allow to cool. These cool quickly.
6. Stack the cake layers: Start by placing your first cake layer on a cake plate. You’re going to put filling on the first 5 layers, but not on the top 6th layer. Place 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the filling on each cake layer. Spread the filling all the way to the very edge. It will be very thin. Do this on each layer as you keep stacking them, stopping after the fifth layer.
7. Store: Wrap the cake securely with plastic wrap and refrigerate. This cake tastes best after 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator. The filling and cake layers need time to meld together. Remove the cake from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving for best flavor.
8. Wrap leftovers securely and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

FILLING

1. Cook the apples: Add the dried apples to a large pot. Cover them with at least 1/4 inch of water, about 5 1/2 to 6 cups of water. The apples will swell up, so make sure you use a big enough pot. Bring the apples to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook for about 35 minutes until the apples are very tender, stirring every 5 minutes. Most all of the water should be cooked off.
2. Mash, measure & season: Using a potato masher, mash all of the apples. Then measure out 3 cups of the apples into a saucepan or bowl. Add the sugar and seasonings and mix well. Use your favorite seasonings, if you don’t like the ones listed here in the recipe. Reminder…cloves are strong and a little goes a long way. This is my mother’s recipe and she didn’t like cloves. She only used cinnamon and nutmeg. I added a little bit of cloves, not much.
3. See #6 under the cake instructions.