Last couple days I have been cooking. With the change of weather, nothing we ate in the winter seems appropriate. I looked on the net for summer dishes and went to the grocery store to get all the ingredients. When I got home...funny... it clouded up and started to turn cool again. Well, this was actually perfect, since a friend dropped by an apple cake recipe and I was just waiting for the weather to cool down so I could try it.

Oh Boy!! This is the best! Simply must try!! Now the recipe doesn't call for an icing, but I like to glaze my tube cakes, so I just put some powdered sugar and milk together with a little almond and vanilla extract and poured it on the cake while still hot. Sprinkle hot cake with cinnamon sugar first and then pour on the glaze for an extra special treat if you like cinnamon!

Fresh Apple Cake

2 cups of sugar

1 1/2 cups. oil

3 eggs

3c. flour

1t. soda

1t. baking powder

1t. salt

1t. cinnamon

1t. nutmeg

1 cup chopped nuts- i used walnuts

1 cup chopped dates

3 cups granny smith apples chopped.

2 t. vanilla

Mix sugar and oil at high speed for one min. add eggs one at a time beating one minute each. mix dry ingredients to which dates have been added. add sugar mixture and fold in apples, nuts and vanilla.

Pour into greased and floured tube pan and bake 1 1/2 hours at 325 F.

Ice with glaze if desired.

Let cool for 15 min on a rack