Apple Cake (It's Beginning to Smell Like Autumn)

Don't you just love this time of year?  The air is cooling, evenings are cozy, and my wool socks are on.  Baking season is already in full force at my house.

I found this apple cake recipe right about the time we picked 60 pounds of apples last month.  I made it every day for a week, tweeking it here and there, until it was absolutely perfect.  The best thing about this cake is the way it smells when you are baking it in the oven.

The ingredients list isn't fussy -- if you have several apples laying around, you should have what you need to make this cake.  You don't even need a mixer (I used mine because I'm lazy), it would come together easily with just a spoon and a couple bowls.  For the apples, I used a mix of Gala and Honeycrisp.  Use whatever you have on hand.  I prefer sweeter, but you might like something more tart.

I've given away nearly as many apple cakes as my family has eaten, and everyone has requested the recipe.  One person told me her husband said that it tasted like Fall.  And that is exactly how I would describe this cake -- it just tastes (and smells) like Fall.
 

Simple Apple Cake
This recipe will make one 9x13 pan, two round pie pans, or two regular sized loaves.  I have made it all ways, and prefer to split it in two, just so I have one to give away.  You can always make another cake tomorrow if you need more.  This cake is great on its own, or you can pair it, warm, with ice cream.

In one bowl mix together:
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup applesauce
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

In another bowl mix together:
3 cups flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Stir dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined, then stir in 3 cups of chopped apples (with skins).  Transfer cake batter into prepared baking dish and bake at 350 degrees until the middle is just set -- approximately 30-40 minutes for two pans or 45-55 minutes for one pan.

-Amy