• Oven / Pan - Preheat the oven to 325°F / 165°C / Gas mark 3. Grease and line 3 x 6-inch round pans or 2 x 8-inch round pans.
• Apple mixture - Use a vegetable peeler to peel the apples, and a corer to core the apples. Then, dice them into small 1/4-inch cubes. Place in a medium bowl, and add the lemon juice, salt, and spices. Then add the flour and combine well
  3 cups Apples chopped, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp cinnamon

Cake

• Dry ingredients - In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.
  3 cups All-purpose flour, 2 tsp Baking powder, 1 tsp Baking soda, ¼ tsp Salt
• Cream - In the bowl of the stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time followed by the apple sauce and vanilla extract.
  8 oz Butter unsalted, 1 ½ cup Brown sugar, 4 large eggs, 1/4 cup Applesauce unsweetened, 1/2 cup Buttermilk, 2 tsp Vanilla
• Wet to dry - Next, add the flour mixture and buttermilk in three additions. Followed by the apple mixture. Combine well but do not over-mix.
• Pan - Divide the batter between the baking pans and spread evenly.
• Bake - Transfer to the oven and bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes clean.
• Cool - Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then invert onto a wire rack until cool completely.

Caramel sauce

• In a saucepan over medium heat add the sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, and water. Continue to cook until the sugar has dissolved and starts to change color.
  1 cup Sugar, 2 tbsp Light corn syrup, 4 tbsp Water, 1 tsp Lemon juice, 4 tbsp Butter, ½ cup Whipping cream, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• Once the sugar reaches a deep amber color add the butter followed by the heavy cream and salt. Turn the heat to low and swirl the pan slowly guiding the heat distribution. If necessary, turn the heat off.
• Cool for a few minutes in the pan then pours into a glass jar or pot. As the mixture cools it will get thicker.

Caramel buttercream

• In the bowl of the stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream the butter and salt for a minute. Then, gradually add the caramel sauce and powdered sugar. Then, whip until light and fluffy.
  1 lb Unsalted butter, 1 cups Powdered Sugar, ½ tsp Salt, 1/2 cup Caramel sauce

Assemble

• Prepare simple syrup - cool completely before using.
• Using a bread knife or cake leveler cut the domes off the cake layers.  Brush each layer with the cooled simple syrup
• Fill - Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand. Top with a big dollop of the caramel buttercream – spread evenly with a straight-edged spatula.  Top the second cake layer on top, followed by more frosting followed by the third layer.
• Chill - Place the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes so the layers hold together. 
• Frosting - Next, spread more buttercream on top and around the cake. Chill the cake for another 10 minutes to help the buttercream set.
• Drip - Gradually pour the caramel sauce on top of the cake and use a spatula to guide the drip.
• Swirls– put any remaining frosting in a piping bag with a star piping tip and pipe some swirls. Chill the cake until ready to serve.