My apartment is filled with the smell of warm apple cake right now. The outside is caramelized with cinnamon and sugar, the inside is not too sweet, and the apple slices are cooked to the perfect tenderness. I like this recipe because it happens to be dairy-free, and the orange juice and vanilla make the flavor so appealing. It is just right with coffee.

I made this for the girls in my Bible Study group tomorrow morning, but first I cut a slice for Doug. I wanted to make sure he got a big piece, so I’m bringing a cake with a missing slice. Surely they won’t mind.

Apple Cake Recipe

4 apples – peeled, cored and sliced (I choose Rome apples)
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange juice
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 10 inch tube pan. (I use my Granny’s bundt pan and it is just the right size.)

2. Cover the sliced apples with the cinnamon and 1/2 cup of sugar in a bowl, and set aside.

3. Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.

4. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and 2 cups of the sugar together. Add the mixture of flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir in the vegetable oil, orange juice and vanilla. Mix well.

5. Place some of the apple slices along the bottom of the pan. Pour 1/2 of the batter into the pan. Top with half of the sliced apples. Pour the remaining batter over the top and layer the remaining sliced apples and cinnamon sugar.

6. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 90 minutes.