Apple Bourbon Bundt Cake

A last minute search came up with an Apple Bourbon Bundt Cake by Melissa Clark published by The New York Times in 2011. I wished to change things around a tad from my favorite apple cake I bake every year. For 5773 I upped the stakes and went all boozy and I like it!

The original cake is more of a spice cake with candied ginger, nutmeg and a hefty dose of cinnamon and vanilla extract. I adjusted it to my sensibilities and it came out great. I think either way it is a spectacular cake and I am so happy I came across this version to change around the Rosh HaShana antics.

I did not grate the apples and was tempted to preheat the oven at my comfort zone to 350F. I was worried I wouldn't get that puff effect of the cake rise at 325F, but the batter was different from my apple chiffon cake so I just went on a limb being curious of the results. The cake as you can tell does not suffer from lack of height. I could not resist it and dug into the apple bourbon cake and it is absolutely divine.

Wishing all of you a healthy 5773, as I said on social media, all the rest then will fall into place! Love you all and can't wait to kick start the new year with our continued friendship and support.

Note for the kosher crowd: Substitute butter with margarine and use soy based yogurt instead of the sour cream. You can also bake the cake as is and have a slice for breakfast or along with your afternoon tea.

Apple Bourbon Bundt Cake
10 to 12 servings
Adapted from A New York Times recipe

Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more to grease pan
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more to dust the pan
2 tablespoons bourbon
1 1/2 cup Sugar in the Raw
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Zest from 1 medium/large lemon

2 medium/large Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and finely diced
1/4 cup Sugar in the Raw

Bourbon Syrup
Ingredients
1/2 cup Sugar in the Raw
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup bourbon


Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt pan. Dust excess flour off the pan by flipping it up side down and tapping the bottom.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the 1 1/2cups sugar and butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream and vanilla. Pour in the 2 tablespoons of bourbon and whisk until smooth. Stir in zest.
With the mixer on medium speed, add the dry mixture and sour cream mixture to the wet mixture in three additions, alternating between the two. Add a 1/4 cup sugar to apples, mix and fold the apples into the batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out dry, about 1 hour.
While the cake cools in the bundt pan make the bourbon syrup. Combine the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup bourbon in a small saucepan. Over low heat, gently stir until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the lemon juice and take off the heat.
While the cake cools, make 15-20 holes on top with a skewer and pour half the bourbon-syrup on the still-warm cake. When the cake is fully cool run a knife around the edges of the pan, flip it and pour the rest of the bourbon syrup on the top side and serve.