Apple Cinnamon Cake with Dry Sherry Syrop

Ingredients: 

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more to grease pan

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus more to dust the pan

  • 3 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup dry sherry

  • 1 ¾ cup light brown sugar

  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

  • ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  • 1 ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

  • 3 medium Granny Smith apples about a pound, peeled, cored, and coarsely grated, 1 for decor thinly slice

  • 1 cup finely chopped, toasted pecans or slice almonds

  • ½ cup granulated sugar

  • Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions:

  1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan.

  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the brown sugar and remaining butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated.

  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining flour with the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream and vanilla. Pour in the dry sherry and whisk until smooth. Stir in zest.

  4. 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. Fold in the apples and pecans. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. On top of the batter place the thinly slice apple and xtra pecans for decor. Bake until the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out dry, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool in the pan 20 minutes, then run a paring knife around the sides of the pan to release the cake; cool, flat side down, on a wire rack.

  5. While the cake cools, combine the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup dry sherry in a small saucepan. Over low heat, gently stir until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the lemon juice and take off the heat.

  6. While the cake cools, make 10 slits on top with a paring knife and pour half the bourbon-sugar mixture on the still-warm cake. When the cake is fully cool, flip it and pour the rest of the glaze on the other side, then flip again to serve.

Clarissa Llenza