Autumn is apple season, and there’s nothing that will bring your family running to the kitchen like the smell of apples and cinnamon baking in the oven.

This week’s recipe for Fresh Apple Cake takes the apple cinnamon combination and binds them in a homemade cake that can be whipped up quickly.. Mixing up this cake doesn’t even require an electric mixer, and the recipe comes together as fast as cake from a mix.

Peeled apples are grated and combined with granulated and brown sugar, vegetable oil and eggs. Vanilla, cinnamon and self-rising flour are stirred in and the cake is baked for an hour.

Self-rising flour is readily available where I live in the South, but if you can’t find it in your area substitute 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 3 3/4 teaspoons baking powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.

The cake is drizzled with a simple vanilla and confectioner’s sugar glaze. Enjoy a slice of warm cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, or serve it to the children as an after school snack with a glass of milk. The cake also is wonderful with hot tea on a brisk autumn afternoon. 

Fresh Apple Cake

• 3 cups peeled and grated Granny Smith or other tart baking apples
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
  
  

Glaze

• 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons water
  
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine grated apples, sugars and vegetable oil in a large bowl. Add the eggs, vanilla and cinnamon. Gradually add the flour, mixing well to combine. Pour into a greased bundt pan and bake 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. 

Combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl and drizzle over the top of the cake before serving.

Makes 12 servings.