Per Becca and Mookie's requests:
8 cups peeled and sliced apples (I use 6; 8 makes the cake too wet. I prefer Granny Smiths, but use any baking apple)
2 cups sugar, divided
1 1/2 tsps. cinnamon
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 cup OJ
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsps. baking powder
1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13" rectangular pan or a 10" springform pan.
2. In a large bowl, toss apple slices with 1/2 cup of the sugar and the cinnamon.
3. Blend oil with the remaining sugar, beat in the eggs, then the OJ and vanilla.
4. Fold in the flour, salt and baking powder to form a soft, smooth batter.
5. Spoon half the batter into the pan.
6. Use a slotted spoon to add the apples to the top of the batter. Drain as much liquid as you can with each spoonful.
7. Top the apples with the remaining batter.
8. Bake until cake is crusty and brown on top (about 45-50 minutes).
Tastes great re-heated and topped with ice cream!
It sounds delicious, and I think I can do this.
Question from a beginner: does "blend in the oil" (step 3) mean mix it with a spoon?
No, use a mixer. You can use an egg beater in a pinch, but an electric mixer is better. This has a soft enough batter that hand held is fine, you don't need a stand mixer.
Thanks for clarifying. Is "fold in the flour" in #4 done by hand or with a blender?
With a large spoon or spatula.
Thank you for putting up with my questions! It'll be on my Rosh Hashana menu next year. :)