This awesome tasting apple cake will earn you many compliments on your cooking skills. “Simply marvelous” is the only way to describe this delicious creation!
For Cake:
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce*
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon ( or 1 teaspoon apple pie spice)
3 cups peeled, chopped fresh apples
1. In a large mixing bowl, beat oil, applesauce and sugar until creamy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Add vanilla and mix well.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon ( or apple pie spice) until well blended. Add dry ingredients to oil mixture a little at a time until well mixed. Stir in apples. Pour into a greased 13x9x2 inch baking pan.
3. Bake at 300 degrees F for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in middle of cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely. Serves 8-10.
For Topping:
1 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup coconut
In a large heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar and milk. Cook over medium-low heat until sugar is dissolved. Stir in butter or margarine and vanilla. Continue cooking until thickened. Add pecans and coconut; mix well. Spread over cooled cake.
* You may omit the applesauce and increase the oil to 1 cup. I prefer using half oil and half applesauce. The cake will still be moist but have a lighter texture.
