Fall Harvest Spice Cake

1 18-1/2 ounce package spice cake mix
1 cup water
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup apple butter
Maple Butter Cream Frosting (below)

Preheat oven to 375�F. Spray 2 9-inch cake pans with non-stick vegetable spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, water, eggs, oil, and apple butter; beat until well blended and smooth. Pour into prepared cake pans. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on a wire rack.

MAPLE BUTTER CREAM FROSTING
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 cups confectioners� sugar
2 cups chopped walnuts
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate morsels, melted
1/4 cup chopped almonds
2 tablespoons chopped dried apricots
2 tablespoons chopped dried cranberries
2 tablespoons raisins

In a small bowl, combine butter and syrup; beat until well blended. Gradually beat in confectioners� sugar. Place one cake layer on serving plate; frost top with Maple Butter Cream Frosting. Top with second layer; frost top and sides of cake. Press walnuts into side of cake. Pipe chocolate onto cake to form a tree trunk. Combine almonds, apricots, cranberries, and raisins. Sprinkle on cake to form leaves.