Fresh Apple Cake

by Kelly G.

(This gets better the longer it sits, so I suggest making it at least a day in advance.)

2 cups plus 3 tablespoons sugar
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 large eggs
3 cups chopped Granny Smith apples, peeled (about 3 medium apples)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup raisins or coconut, your choice (or both!)

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Generously grease a 10-inch tube pan. Combine 3 tablespoons of the sugar, 1 tsp. of the cinnamon and coat the inside of the pan with the mixture by shaking the pan all around until the sides and bottom are coated.

2. Beat the oil and the remaining 2 cups of sugar with an electric mixer until well-blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. With a spatula, stir in the apples and vanilla. Sift together the remining 2 tsp cinnamon, the nutmeg, flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the apple mixture and mix well with a spatula. Add the pecans and raisins or coconut. The batter will be very thick.

3. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Lift the pan from the counter about 2 inches and drop it back down to get out all of the air bubbles.

4. Bake the cake for 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hours, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to rest on the countertop for at tleast 30 minutes before turning out onto a cake plate to cool completely.