Crowned Apple Cake

Ingredients

• 4 large green apples (about 2 1/2 lbs.)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1/3 cup orange juice (apple juice makes a great substitution)
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) or pecans (optional)
• 1/2 cup pecan halves (optional) or walnuts, maybe substituted (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   Place oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray a 10 inch tube pan with removable bottom.

2. 2

   Peel, quarter, core and slice apples 1/4 inch thick. Place in a medium bowl with honey and cinnamon. Toss to coat and set aside while preparing cake.

3. 3

   In a large mixing obwl with electric mixer on low speed, mix flour, sugar, oil, eggs, juice, baking powder, vanilla, and salt until combined.

4. 4

   Increase speed to moderately high and mix until well blended, about 2 minutes.

5. 5

   Pour 1/3 of the batter into prepared pan. Arrange 1/3 of apple slices over the batter and sprinkle with chopped nuts if using. Cover with 1/2 of remaining batter. Arrange 1/2 of remaining apples slices over batter and top with remaining batter, spreading evenly. Over lap the remaining apple slices around the tube og the pan, extending out like petals. Pour remaining juices from the bowl over the apples. If desired, arrange nut halves along the outer edge to encircle the of the cake.

6. 6

   Place cake on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 80 to 90 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer inserted to center comes out clean. If top gets too brown, cover loosely with foil. Remove cake from oven and cool 10 minutes. Go around inside edges of pan with a knife and remove sides of pan. Cool cake to room temperature. Cut around the tube and bottom of pan with a knife. Carefully lift the cake from the pan to a serving plate. (Cake may be stored, covered, at room temperature up to 2 days or frozen.).