Apple Cake

Apple Cake sounded good for Chazaq's 2nd Birthday this year, but I didn't have a "tried and approved recipe" in my family recipe book yet...so I started searching the web. I found a recipe that the writer raved about, but it still had ingredients we don't use...so I modified it and rewrote the instructions the way I like too. This is what I came up with and it was outstanding! This has made the family recipe book with honors! It makes a 9x13 pan. The amount of apples you use may very based on the the size of your apples, but the more are better. You want enough apples to cover the cake generously in two layers. This makes a delicious dessert cake or a special coffee cake. ( I Like to reduce the sugar by a cup when serving it for Shabbat breakfast.) It is also very nice to make ahead for Shabbat to take to gatherings, but I must admit it is dangerous to have sitting around if you are staying at home! :-)

For the apple mixture:
Approx. 12-16 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1" chunks
1T cinnamon
5T Rapadura, Sucanut or Maple Sugar (brown sugar is OK too - if you must)

For batter:
3-4C Rapadura, Sucanut or Maple Sugar (brown sugar is OK too - if you must)
5C wheat flour (fresh ground if possible)
2T baking powder
2 tsp sea salt
2C pecan chopped (optional)
1/2C orange juice, fresh squeezed
1T + 2 tsp vanilla extract (homemade if possible)
8 eggs, beaten
2C coconut oil (or oil of choice)

Grease a 9x13 baking pan and preheat your oven to 350F
1. Prepare and combine apple mixture and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together.
3. In a separate bowl mix wet ingredients together.
4. Add the wet to the dry and mix well.
5. Layer half of the batter in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle half of the apple mixture evening over the top. Repeat.

Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours of until a knife comes out of the center clean.

Try it and tell me what you think!