APPLES:

4 large apples
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Combine sugar with cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

Note: If more flavor is desired, sprinkle sugar with a 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla.

Peel, core, and very coarsely slice apples. Prepare enough chopped apple to cover the bottom of the pan you'll be using and have a layer of apples 1-2 inches thick.

In a loaf pan or deep cake pan, bake the apples in a preheated 350°F oven until warm and slightly soft. Remove from oven.

BATTER:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs
3 1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 apple, peeled, cored and shredded
2 tbsp. milk

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter, sugar, flour, eggs, baking powder, vanilla extract and nutmeg. When blended add shredded apple to mixture and 2 tablespoons of milk.

ASSEMBLY:

Use a deep cake pan or a springform pan (I prefer the springform). Line the bottom with wax paper and grease and flour pan making sure to get the sides. Arrange prepared apples on bottom of pan in a circle. Add the sugar and cinnamon mixture assembled earlier as a layer covering all of the apple pieces. Add the batter and level out.

Bake in a 375°F oven for 30 to 45 minutes or until cake tests as done. If using a springform pan, make sure to put another pan with liner below as the melting sugar will make a mess of your oven.

Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Remove to serving platter (and be careful if using springform pan, sugar will be very hot).

Best served warm with a whopping scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Enjoy!

Submitted by: Nelia Duarte