First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Then grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. After that, set the bowl aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Next, add the eggs one at a time. Finally, mix in the vanilla extract.
Stir in the apple butter until fully incorporated. At this point, the batter will become darker and start to smell amazing.
Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately. For best results, mix gently until just combined.Avoid overmixing, because that is one of the fastest ways to end up with a dense cake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Then bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting. Once cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. If desired, sprinkle with cinnamon or chopped pecans.
