Apple-Bourbon Streusel Loaf Cake
Alicia Calvo, MPH, RDN, CDCES, CEDRD
This apple-bourbon streusel loaf cake takes a modern twist to the traditional honey cake and apple cake classics for Rosh Hashanah. The apples symbolize a sweet New Year and the bourbon adds a warm festive flavor.
Yield: 1 (9- inch) loaf or 12 slices
Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes Cool Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes.
Ingredients:
Apple Filling
2 small Envy apples, peeled and chipped (about 2 cups)
2 Tbsp. packed light brown sugar
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. water
1 ½ Tbsps. Honey
¼ cup (2 ounces) bourbon
Streusel Topping:
2/3 cup Trader Joes Candied Pecans, chopped
1/8 cup (2 Tbsp.) cold unsalted butter, cubed
Cake
1/3 cup (6 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. fine sea salt
2/3 cup 2% Greek yogurt
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9- x 5- inch loaf pan with butter. Line bottom and sides of pan with parchment paper, leaving 2 – inch overhang on both long sides; set aside.
Make the apple filling: Bring apples, sugar lemon juice, water, and honey to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally and using a back of a spoon to gently mash, until apples are caramelized and coated in a thick, golden syrup, 18 – 20 minutes. Add bourbon; cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is mostly reduced, about 45 seconds. Set aside to let cool.
Make the streusel: Chop pecans in a medium bowl. Add butter, and mix using your fingertips, until mixture is well combined and crumbly. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the cake: Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar un a bowl. Mix with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Whish together flour, baking power, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Add half of the flour mixture to egg mixture; beat on low speed until combined, about 15 seconds. Beat in Greek yogurt until combines, about 15 seconds. Add remaining flour mixture, beating until just combined, about 15 seconds.
Spread half of cake batter into prepared loaf pan; top evenly with half of streusel and half of apple filling. Spread remaining cake batter into pan; top with remaining apple filling and remaining streusel.
Bake until a wooden pick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 50 minutes, covering loosely with aluminum foil after 25 minutes if needed to prevent excess browning. Let cake cook in loaf for 10 minutes. Using parchment paper overhang as handles, remove cake from pan; let cool completely on wire rack 2 hours.
Adapted from: https://www.foodandwine.com/apple-bourbon-loaf-cake
Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: 1/12 loaf
Calories: 268
Total Fat: 13 g
Total Carbohydrate: 28 g
Protein: 5 g