Stack Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3/4 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 c. molasses
3 eggs
1 c. buttermilk
4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. soda
2 tsp. baking powder
3 c. cooked dried apples
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice

Preparation

Dress a pair of half grown chickens, split down one side of backbone, cut breastbone so fowl will lay flat in roast pan.
Let remain on ice overnight, then place in roaster, breasts downward. Add a lump of butter and three teacups of boiling water, salt and let gently simmer on top of stove three hours, adding very small quantities of water as needed.
Let fowl fry down in liquor; place on flat hot dish with spatula, breast upward.
Pour a rich cream gravy around fowl and garnish with parsley.
Flour that has been previously browned should be used in making gravy.