Fresh Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

We are coming into apple season... they are starting to show up at the farmers' markets... this is a great recipe to use them... and it can be frozen in the pan for a month or so.

Fresh Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1 ½ cups canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups cored and finely chopped apples

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts

To make the cake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13 pan (or 2 round or square 8” or 9” pans) In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a fork to mix everything together well. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until pale yellow and foamy. Add the oil and vanilla; beat well. Stir in flour mixture just until flour disappears. Add the apples and nuts and stir to mix them into the batter until fairly uniform. Scrape the batter into the prepared pans (batter will be very thick). Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until the cake is is golden brown, springs back when touched lightly near the center and is just beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool while you make the glaze.

Brown sugar glaze

1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons half-and-half or cream

While cake is still hot, combine the brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and cream in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often until mixture comes to a gentle boil. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes longer. Spoon the glaze all over the hot cake. Let the glazed cake cool completely. Serve in squares, right form the pan.