Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan, then line the bottom of the pan and the sides of the pan with parchment, leaving about 2 inches hanging over the two long edges.

Start with the apples. Put the chopped Granny Smith apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, water, and honey in a small saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let it bubble for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring now and then and pressing on the apples gently with the back of a wooden spoon. You are after golden, soft apples sitting in a thick syrup. Pour in the bourbon and keep stirring for about 45 seconds, just until the bourbon mixture has mostly cooked off. Set the pan aside to cool.

While the apples cool, make the streusel. Stir the pecans, brown sugar, and flour together in a medium bowl. Add the cold butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture is crumbly and holds together in small clumps. Pop the bowl in the refrigerator until you need it.

Now the cake. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until it looks pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each and scraping down the bowl as you go. Beat in the vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add half of the dry mixture to the bowl and mix on low for about 15 seconds. Add the sour cream and mix for another 15 seconds, then add the rest of the dry mixture and mix just until it disappears.

Spread half of the cake batter (about 1 1/2 cups) into the prepared pan. Scatter half of the streusel over the top (about 3/4 cup), then spoon on half of the apples (a scant 1/2 cup). Spread the remaining batter over everything, then finish the top of the cake with the rest of the apples and the rest of the streusel.

Bake for 50 minutes to an hour. The cake is done when a cake tester or toothpick slid into the middle comes out without any wet batter on it. If the top is darkening too quickly, lay a loose piece of foil over it once the cake has been in for 25 minutes.

When the cake is done leave the loaf in the pan 10 minutes to set, then lift it out by the parchment flaps and set it on a wire rack. It needs about 2 hours to cool.

While the cake is cooling make the maple glaze if using, all you do is mix the glaze ingredients together with a whisk until smooth. Once done drizzle the glaze over the top of the loaf and enjoy.