Fresh Apple Butter Cake

A dense, buttery tube cake stuffed with three cups of diced McIntosh apples and two cups of chopped walnuts, then finished with a warm sherry glaze that soaks into every crevice. This is a fall baking project that fills the kitchen with cinnamon and nutmeg for a solid hour and a half.

The name “butter cake” is earned. A full cup of butter creamed with two cups of sugar creates a rich, dense batter that holds up under the weight of all those apples and nuts without collapsing. The McIntosh apples are the right choice here. They’re soft-fleshed and break down slightly during the long bake, releasing their juice into the crumb and creating pockets of apple throughout.

The sherry glaze is dead simple: sugar and sherry cooked into a syrup and drizzled over the cooled cake. It seeps into the top and forms a thin, glossy crust that’s sweet with a warm boozy finish. Two minutes of stirring is all it takes.

Pro Tips

• Cream the butter and sugar until genuinely light and fluffy, at least 4-5 minutes. This batter is heavy, and the creaming step is the only source of lift.
• Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each. Rushing this step means the batter can curdle and the cake won’t rise evenly.
• Grease the tube pan thoroughly, including the center tube. This cake sticks if you miss a spot.
• The 1½ hour bake time is long. Check at 75 minutes with a toothpick. Every oven runs differently.

Variations

• Use Granny Smith apples for a tarter, firmer apple that holds its shape more than McIntosh.
• Swap the sherry glaze for a bourbon caramel sauce for a Southern spin.
• Replace walnuts with pecans for a sweeter, less tannic nut flavor.