Fall means a bounty of fresh apples. Fall also means apple cake. So I made one today. I did not give it enough minutes to cool, so I did have to put the cake back together ever so slightly.  It happens. Still looks delicious and will taste even better.

Here is how I made it:

• 6 cups peeled thinly sliced apples (today I used giant Golden delicious from a friend’s tree)
• ¾ cup turbinado or white sugar
• 4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 3 cups flour
• 1 hearty tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup pecan pieces
• 2/3 cup seedless black raisins
• Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

How to mix up and bake:

1. Mix apple slices with cinnamon and ¾ cup turbinado or white sugar and 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar in a bowl and put to side.
2. Combine dry ingredients including nutmeg and cardamom in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Beat eggs with 1 1/2 light brown sugar.
4. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the oil to the wet ingredients, then add the orange juice and lastly the vanilla and beat for 1 minute. (batter will be rather thick)
5. Pour 1/3rd of the batter into a greased and floured tube or Bundt pan
6. Layer  1/3rd of the apple slices, raisins, and nuts over the batter.
7. Repeat with layer of batter, then apples, raisins, and nuts, then batter, then final layer of apples, raisins, and nuts.
8. Drizzle the cake with a bit of the remaining cinnamon-sugar goop from the apple bowl.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and about 20 minutes or until tester comes out  clean.
10. Allow cake to cool in pan on wire rack for 25 – 35 minutes, then turn cake out onto wire rack to cool completely.
11. Dust top with confectioner’s sugar