Apple harvesting season is well underway! It actually started a bit earlier in our area than usual this year due to an early Spring bloom followed by warm Summer temperatures. Other parts of our state were not as fortunate. They experienced significant apple crop losses or complete failures due to late Spring frosts and freezes.

Apple-Bourbon Loaf Cake (adapted from foodandwine.com) Total Time Required: 4 hours 15 minutes, Active Time: 1 hour 15 minutes, Bake Time: 1 hour, Cool Time: 2 hours, Makes: 9-inch loaf, Serves: 10 – 12

Ingredients:

Apple Filling

• 10 ounces Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1/4 cup bourbon

Streusel

• 2/3 cup (3 ounces) pecans halves
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

Cake

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2/3 cup sour cream

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides, then set the pan aside.

Make the apple filling first. Bring the apples, sugar, lemon juice, water, honey, and bourbon to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally. Using the back of a wooden spoon, gently mash the mixture until the apples are caramelized and coated in a thick, golden syrup, about 20 minutes. Set the apple mixture aside to cool. The apples can be made ahead of time and stored covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring the nuts often, for 3 – 4 minutes, until they become fragrant and slightly darker in color. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the nuts to a chopping surface. Roughly chop the pecans.

Stir together the pecans, sugar, and flour in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until the mixture is well combined and crumbly. Cover and refrigerate the streusel until ready to use. The streusel can be made up to 3 days ahead.

For the cake, beat together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Add half of the flour mixture to the egg mixture, beating on low speed until combined, about 15 seconds.

Beat in the sour cream until well incorporated, about 15 seconds. Add the remaining flour mixture, beating until just combined.

Spread half of cake batter (about 1-1/2 cups) into the prepared loaf pan. Top the batter evenly with half of the streusel (about 3/4 cup) and half of apple filling (a scant 1/2 cup).

Spread the remaining cake batter into the pan. Top the batter with the remaining apple filling and then the remaining streusel.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 50 – 60 minutes, until an instant read thermometer registers 200ºF – 210ºF in the center of the cake. Loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil after 25 minutes if needed to prevent excess browning of the streusel. Let the cake cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes. Using the parchment paper overhang as handles, remove the cake from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack, for about 2 hours.

Slice the cake once it has cooled completely. Store the cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.

This dessert is full of wonderful Fall flavors!  ~Linda

Apple-Bourbon Loaf Cake (adapted from foodandwine.com) Total Time Required: 4 hours 15 minutes, Active Time: 1 hour 15 minutes, Bake Time: 1 hour, Cool Time: 2 hours, Makes: 9-inch loaf, Serves: 10 – 12

Ingredients:

Apple Filling

• 10 ounces Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1/4 cup bourbon

Streusel

• 2/3 cup (3 ounces) pecans halves
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

Cake

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2/3 cup sour cream

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides, then set the pan aside.

Make the apple filling first. Bring the apples, sugar, lemon juice, water, honey, and bourbon to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally. Using the back of a wooden spoon, gently mash the mixture until the apples are caramelized and coated in a thick, golden syrup, about 20 minutes. Set the apple mixture aside to cool. The apples can be made ahead and stored covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring the nuts often, for 3 – 4 minutes, until they become fragrant and slightly darker in color. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the nuts to a chopping surface. Roughly chop the pecans. Stir together the pecans, sugar, and flour in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until the mixture is well combined and crumbly. Cover and refrigerate the streusel until ready to use. The streusel can be made up to 3 days ahead.

For the cake, beat together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Add half of the flour mixture to the egg mixture, beating on low speed until combined, about 15 seconds. Beat in the sour cream until well incorporated, about 15 seconds. Add the remaining flour mixture, beating until just combined.

Spread half of the cake batter (about 1-1/2 cups) into the prepared loaf pan. Top the batter evenly with half of the streusel (about 3/4 cup) and half of apple filling (a scant 1/2 cup). Spread the remaining cake batter into the pan. Top the batter with the remaining apple filling and then the remaining streusel.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean, 50 – 60 minutes, until an instant read thermometer registers 200ºF – 210ºF in the center of the cake. Loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil after 25 minutes if needed to prevent excess browning of the streusel. Let the cake cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes. Using the parchment paper overhang as handles, remove the cake from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack, for about 2 hours before slicing. Store the cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.