Apple Whiskey Cake
By Heidi Allison
Somewhere between a breakfast muffin and an Apple Bundt Cake, this crazy-easy, scratch recipe comes together in one mixing bowl, and, goes into the oven in 10 minutes — nice!
The first thing you will notice about this cake is its impossibly moist texture, which comes from two culinary techniques: adding a hefty dose of shredded, peeled apples, which melt into the batter while it's baked, and, switching out traditional butter for oil, which keeps the cake moist. Another bonus for switching out the butter in lieu of oil — it can be served either cold or room temperature. Look for a slow-roasted nut oil— this time-honored French technique imparts a headier hit of nut flavor in the end product.
In this recipe, roasted walnut oil was used, but roasted almond oil works fine too. Tart green apples, Pippin or Granny Smith, impart the necessary counterpoint sour taste to temper its sweetness. The "secret ingredient" —shot of Bulleit Kentucky Bourbon whiskey—an intriguing complexity and depth to the finished dish. Do not substitute a sweet bourbon— the cake will be monotone and flat.
For best results, use a heavy-weight Nordic Ware Pull Apart Bee Hive Cake pan (10 cups) or Nordic Ware Bundt pan. If using the taller Bundt pan, increase baking time to 50 to 60 minutes. As far as the nuts go, toasted almonds lend a textural crunch, while walnuts a softer chew.
Serves: 19
Ingredients: Cake recipe
2 1/2 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
50 ml Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey, (1 mini-airplane bottle of Bulleit Bourbon)
4 organic Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and pulsed in a food processor till macerated
1 1/4 cup roasted walnut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted (can substitute walnut pieces)
Garnish:
1/3 cup Powdered Sugar
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Into the bowl of a stand mixer bowl, add flour salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix with a fork to combine. Add eggs, oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and whiskey. Attach the whisk beater and beat on medium speed for two minutes, or till combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir. Detach the bowl from the stand and fold in the apples.
Brush the Honey Cake Nordic Ware pan with melted unsalted butter on bottom and sides, then sprinkle a film of toasted almonds on bottom of pan. Pour batter over almonds, then lightly tap pan on counter once and place in preheated oven. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean and cake springs back when gently pressed in the center.
Remove cake and place on a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes. Place a large plate over top of cake pan and turn upside down to release cake from pan.
Allow cake to cool another 15 minutes. Place powdered sugar in a sieve and rub the back of a spoon over sugar to dust cake.
Somewhere between a breakfast muffin and an Apple Bundt Cake, this crazy-easy, scratch recipe comes together in one mixing bowl, and, goes into the oven in 10 minutes — nice!
The first thing you will notice about this cake is its impossibly moist texture, which comes from two culinary techniques: adding a hefty dose of shredded, peeled apples, which melt into the batter while it's baked, and, switching out traditional butter for oil, which keeps the cake moist. Another bonus for switching out the butter in lieu of oil — it can be served either cold or room temperature. Look for a slow-roasted nut oil— this time-honored French technique imparts a headier hit of nut flavor in the end product.
In this recipe, roasted walnut oil was used, but roasted almond oil works fine too. Tart green apples, Pippin or Granny Smith, impart the necessary counterpoint sour taste to temper its sweetness. The "secret ingredient" —shot of Bulleit Kentucky Bourbon whiskey—an intriguing complexity and depth to the finished dish. Do not substitute a sweet bourbon— the cake will be monotone and flat.
For best results, use a heavy-weight Nordic Ware Pull Apart Bee Hive Cake pan (10 cups) or Nordic Ware Bundt pan. If using the taller Bundt pan, increase baking time to 50 to 60 minutes. As far as the nuts go, toasted almonds lend a textural crunch, while walnuts a softer chew.
Serves: 19
Ingredients: Cake recipe
2 1/2 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
50 ml Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey, (1 mini-airplane bottle of Bulleit Bourbon)
4 organic Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and pulsed in a food processor till macerated
1 1/4 cup roasted walnut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted (can substitute walnut pieces)
Garnish:
1/3 cup Powdered Sugar
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Into the bowl of a stand mixer bowl, add flour salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix with a fork to combine. Add eggs, oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and whiskey. Attach the whisk beater and beat on medium speed for two minutes, or till combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir. Detach the bowl from the stand and fold in the apples.
Brush the Honey Cake Nordic Ware pan with melted unsalted butter on bottom and sides, then sprinkle a film of toasted almonds on bottom of pan. Pour batter over almonds, then lightly tap pan on counter once and place in preheated oven. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean and cake springs back when gently pressed in the center.
Remove cake and place on a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes. Place a large plate over top of cake pan and turn upside down to release cake from pan.
Allow cake to cool another 15 minutes. Place powdered sugar in a sieve and rub the back of a spoon over sugar to dust cake.
