This apple-studded cake is a labor of love, but so worth it! It has the flavor of apple pie with a crunchy pie crust-like topping.
2 cups (4 sticks) butter, room temp.
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups sugar
8 large eggs, room temp.
4 ½ cups cake flour or White Lily All Purpose Flour
1 1/3 cups sour cream, room temp.
Prepare apple pie filling and pie crust streusel (recipes below, can be done ahead). Preheat oven to 300°F. Prepare Old Country Kitchenware square tube pan by fitting with a parchment paper square between the two pieces and brushing with pan coat. Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until pale, light and fluffy (about 6 minutes at medium speed). Add 1/2 cup flour, salt, and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, completely incorporating each egg before adding the next. Add 2 cups of flour, beating on low until it just disappears. Add sour cream and beat in, then add the remaining 2 cups of flour and beat in. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and beat for another 15 seconds. Gently fold in the apple pie filling that contains flour. Pour batter into prepared tube pan and gently shake to settle the batter. Place on middle rack of oven with a baking sheet on the rack below it to catch any drips. Bake 2 1/2 hours to 2 3/4 hours or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool until the pan is cool enough to handle. To unmold, place it over a metal can and push down to remove the outer piece. Once the tube is cool enough to touch for 4 seconds, lift or turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Pour Sour Cream Glaze over cooled cake then top with reserved Apple Pie Filling and Pie Crust Streusel.
Apple Pie Filling
6 cups apples (about 4-5), peeled, cored, and diced
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup flour
Combine apples, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium high for 4 mins covered, then add cornstarch. Uncover and cook for another 6-8 min, stirring occasionally, until juices thicken. Reserve about 1/4 of the mixture to decorate the top of the cake and set aside. Toss remainder of the apples in 1/4 cup flour and set aside to cool.
Pie Crust Streusel
1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) melted butter
Combine flour and sugar, then pour in melted butter. Mix until course crumbs form. Bake 10-15 mins on a parchment lined baking sheet until golden. Let cool. Any extras can easily be frozen in an airtight container.
Sour Cream Glaze
1/3 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
With an electric mixer, beat together sour cream and powdered sugar. If a thicker icing is desired, add more powdered sugar. If a thinner icing is desired, add water, one teaspoon at a time.
