This apple cake is from one of Paula Deen's cookbooks.  It's SO EASY!  You just dump all the ingredients in a big bowl and mix up…how wonderful is that!  This is a BIG cake and it's gorgeous and I swear, the best cake I've ever eaten.  My mama took a bite and said "I believe this is the best cake I've ever eaten." 

I baked it, let it cool a LONG time, powdered it with sugar, then laid it on top of a big circle of cellophane.  Then I brought it all together in the middle and tied it with that straw string stuff, trimming off all but about 3-4 inches over the bow.  Oh my goodness, what a gorgeous gift!!!

Grandgirl’s Fresh Apple Cake

Cake

2 cups sugar                3 cups peeled finely chopped apples

3 eggs                          1 cup shredded coconut

1 ½ cup veg. oil           1 cup chopped pecans

¼ cup orange juice

3 cups all purpose flour           Sauce:  1 stick butter

1 tsp. baking soda                               1 cup sugar

¼ tsp. salt                                            ½ cup buttermilk

1 Tablespoon cinnamon                      ½ tsp. baking soda

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Preheat to 325 degrees.

Grease a tube pan.  For the cake, combine all the cake ingredients in a large bowl in the order given and mix well.  Shortly before it’s done, make the sauce.  Melt the butter in a large saucepan, stir in the sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda, and bring to a good rolling boil, stirring constantly,   Boil for 1 minute.  Pour the sauce over the hot cake in the pan as soon as you remove it from the oven.  Let stand 1 hour, then turn out.  Takes a long time to cool but is incredibly moist and delicious!  Sprinkle with powdered sugar once cooled.