the best apple cake

I am not sure if it's the fact that I am on vacation/holiday eating mode or that I successfully made this cake without any measuring cups/spoons, but it is the best apple cake ever.  It calls for four eggs, which gives the cake a nice light texture.  

Even my husband loved this cake and he always claims to not like cake {seriously?}.  The recipe I used was from Smitten Kitchen and followed it as best I could...guessing cups and teaspoons and all of that.  I have a feeling this apple cake will become one of my go-to recipes.

Apple Cake {from Smitten Kitchen}
6 apples, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons sugar

2 and 3/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a baking dish.  I used a rectangle one because that's all I had.    
2. Peel and dice the apples and toss in the cinnamon and 5 tablespoons of sugar.  Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, orange juice, and vanilla until well combined.  Add in the eggs, one at a time and then fold the wet ingredients into the dry ones.
5. Pour half the batter into the greased baking dish and top with half the apples.  Pour the remainder of the batter oven the apples and finish off with the second half of the apples.  
6. Bake for about an hour and a half or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Enjoy your new favorite apple cake :).