LUNCH BOX APPLE CAKE

Many years ago, a lady named Virginia Spreen gave me this wonderful recipe. It is one of those great old recipes that turns out perfect every time and even improves on day two and three. No electric mixer is used with this cake, just a sturdy spoon.

4 cups peeled and diced Rome apples
1½ cups white sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
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Mix the above ingredients together and let stand at room temperature for an hour to extract some of the juice from the apples (juice goes into the recipe later).
In large mixing bowl, combine (and set aside)
3 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
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Add the following to the chopped apple-sugar mixture and mix well
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup vegetable oil
2 beaten eggs
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Combine the dry ingredients to the apple mixture (extracted juice from apples and all) and mix with a large spoon (do not use electric mixer).
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Pour into a greased and floured angle food style cake pan or a bundt pan. Bake at 350F for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes. Make sure you use the toothpick test to see if it is done after one hour and 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes then turn the cake out of the pan. Wrap hot cake in plastic wrap to cool.

NOTE: Grease and flour cake pan liberally. I use the vegetable spray that has flour already in it, and that works fine.
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NOTE: Store this cake covered, as the apples in the cake will continue to make this cake more moist. It is actually better on day two and three.

NOTE: Any apple will work with this recipe, but I find that Rome apples taste the best (Granny Smiths work too, but are a little tart). Dice the apples in a little less than ½" squares (the size of dice is not critical). Do not use food processor...it cuts them too small.