Double the apple - Apple cake with apple filling

My Dad has been helping us a lot lately in our search for a new house. So as one way to say thank you, I baked him an apple cake.


Ingredients:
Cake (Adapted from Simply Recipes)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch salt
1 cup sugar (I used 3/4 white, one quarter brown)
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 cup apple sauce (plus extra to fill the cake) - recipe here is enough for the cake plus filling.
1/4 cup buttermilk


Method:
Preheat oven to 190 degrees C. Greese and line a 20 x 20 cm square baking pan.
Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and salt into a large bowl and set aside.
Place the butter in another bowl and beat until pale, add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat to combine after each. Add the vanilla and the applesauce, and beat until combined.
Mix in half of dry ingredients. When nearly combined, add the buttermilk. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients, until fully incorporated. Be careful not to over-mix.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and place in centre of the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until cake is done. Test for doneness by lightly pressing the cake - it should spring back to the touch. Alternatively poke a toothpick into the centre of the cake - if it comes out clean, its done. Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and leave to cool on wire rack.


Once cool, carefully slice in half and fill with the extra apple sauce.

Ice with cream cheese icing.