Finished cake- I only lament I couldn't take a picture of the inside for you, but that's against family reunion rules.

This past weekend was a family reunion, which of course is a good opportunity to catch up with family, but a good opportunity to experiment with recipes.  I've got two new ones to share with you, and this is the first of the two.  It's a great introduction into fall recipes. 

While the pumpkin is currently enjoying a reign of fall produce homecoming queen, the apple shouldn't be overlooked.  I love apple recipes, from the sweet to the savory.  It's such a versatile fruit, eaten both raw and cooked.  One particular favorite is the apple cake, and I've probably made 3-4 different recipe variations.  I love it heartiness, moisture, and even that it's a bundt cake.  This year's version comes from a 2010 special periodical publication of Southern Living Recipes.  It's Honey Apple Cake, drizzled with a sauce made with honey, butter, and brown sugar, and it's delicious.  I wanted to share it with you as soon as possible.

The delicious honey-sugar mixture

It's easy to throw together, and not temperamental.  It has a relatively short ingredient list, and even after two days, it's moist and flavorful.  What's not to love?!

Honey Apple Cake
from Southern Living

1 cup chopped pecans, divided
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup clover honey
3 large eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled and chopped
Honey Sauce (recipe to follow)

Preheat your oven to 350.  Grease and flour a 12 cup Bundt pan; sprinkle bottom of pan with 1/4 cup pecans. 

Beat the sugar, oil, and honey at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until well blended.  Combine the flour and next 4 ingredients in a bowl .  Gradually add to sugar mixture, beating at low speed just until blended.  Stir in vanilla, remaining pecans, and chopped apples.  Spoon batter over pecans in pan. 

Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes.  Remove from pan, and place on a wire rack over wax paper.  Drizzle 1/2 cup Honey Sauce over warm cake.  Let cool 1 hour or until completely cool.  heat remaining Honey Sauce and serve cake with sauce, and if desire, ice cream. 

Honey Sauce
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup honey

Bring all ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil, stirring constantly, for 5 mintues.

Notes

• Know your oven.  My oven has four possible rack placements.  I started the cake out on the next to lowest rack (where the top of the cake pan is about middle of oven) and after 45 minutes, the cake wasn't done in the middle, but the top of the cake was very dark.  I moved it up a level and it finished baking on the next to highest rack position, which was a good place to finish.  Total baking time for my crazy oven: 55 minutes.
• I used Granny Smith apples rather than Golden Delicious.  They were a better price and I like them better.