I love this flavor combination for fall!! You get the lovely spices everyone craves this season paired with apple and bourbon… which might be a refreshing change of pace for you fall bakers! This cake is best accompanied with cream cheese icing; it’s a little tart, a little sweet and has a dash of vanilla. Finish it all off with fresh flowers and chopped toasted pecans for a beautiful centerpiece to your table. It’s perfect for brunch, lunch, dinner and all the events! Plus, it is so easy to decorate just like the picture, I promise!!
Typically a Bundt cake serves 12-16. It will take about an hour of active work to prep and decorate the cake. It’ll take 1.5-2 hours to bake and cool the cake but some of that time can overlap.For instance, you can make the frosting while the cake bakes or cut flower stems while the cake chills.
Bourbon Apple Spice Cake
Ingredients:
½ cup butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon dried lemon peel
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 eggs
¾ cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 ½ cup golden or light brown sugar
¼ cup bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 cup toasted pecans, extra for garnish
2 Granny Smith small-medium apples
Directions:
1. Over medium heat, toast the pecans in a medium-sized skillet. Stir and flip the pecans often to avoid burning. Once they smell toasted and start turning darker brown, they are ready. About 7 minutes. Take them off the heat and let cool.
2. While the pecans are toasting/cooling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a Bundt cake pan with oil and set aside. Also, measure out the rest of the ingredients.
3. Peel the apples then roughly chop them and the toasted pecans, set aside.
4. Add butter and granulated sugar to a standing mixer. Beat on low-medium speed until combined.
5. Reduce the speed to low and add the rest of the ingredients in the order they are listed above. Do not mix in the chopped pecans and apples yet.
6. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 15 seconds. Once the batter is smooth, fold in the apples and pecans with a spatula.
7. Pour the batter ¾ the way up the prepared Bundt pan and smooth out the top. Wipe off any batter that may have spilled onto the upper sides and top of the pan.
8. Bake for 55 minutes. To test doneness, press a toothpick into the center of the cake. When you pull it out, there should be no batter sticking to it. The toothpick should be clean with the exception of perhaps a few cake crumbles.
9. Let the cake cool for 15-20 minutes in the pan then take a butter knife to help it release from the bottom and sides. Next, flip the cake over onto a cooling rack and let cool.
Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup icing sugar
3 tablespoons milk
Directions:
1. In your standing mixer, add the cream cheese, lemon juice, vanilla and icing sugar. Mix on low-medium speed until combined.
2. Add the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until all three tablespoons have been added. The icing should be stable and slightly thinner than a buttercream frosting.
3. This can be used immediately. Store refrigerated, in an airtight container.
Decorating the Cake
You will need:
Fresh Flowers
Toasted Pecans, roughly chopped
Sprinkles
Floral Tape
Directions:
1. Once the cake has cooled, take a large spoon and scoop the icing all around the top of the cake. Once the top is covered, take a smaller spoon and gently push the icing down the sides of the cake. It’ll continue to droop a bit so don’t push it down the side too far.
2. Give the cake 20 minutes in the fridge to firm up the frosting, especially if you are adding any other decorations.
**At this point, you can add the toasted pecans to the top and serve but if you want to really impress, continue with the directions (and don’t add the pecans until the end)!
3. Buy fresh flowers of your choice, preferably a few bigger flowers and some smaller garnishes like baby’s breath.
4. Cut the stems short so that they are the height of the cake. Some flowers are not food safe. To be on the safe side, I recommend wrapping the stems in a waxed floral tape to keep all those juices inside.
5. Arrange a big flower, then a smaller garnish… repeat until you are satisfied.
6. Take the extra toasted pecans and sprinkle them around the top of the cake.
7. Finish it off by scattering sprinkles all over the top of the cake. You are done, enjoy!! Store in the refrigerator.