Happy Fall

What says Happy Fall better than a fresh apple cake?

Your house smells like cinnamon; your dog tries to get apple cores out of the trash; you have something delicious to give your boyfriend and co-workers.

I have been recommending this recipe to everyone I know. It's amazing.

I did the baking Monday night after work and errands to decompress, and John and I and all my Cleveland friends have been obsessed since. It's reminiscent of coffee cake and undoubtedly sinful, but totally worth it. Courtesy of Real Simple.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the dish

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

3 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the dish

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into a 1/2-inch dice

1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped pecans

2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Caramel Glaze (optional)

Directions

Heat oven to 325° F. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high, beat the butter and the granulated and brown sugars until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Using a wooden spoon, gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture. The batter should be very thick. Stir in the apples, pecans, and vanilla. Scrape the batter into a buttered and floured 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool for at least 10 minutes while you make the Caramel Glaze, if using. With a spatula, loosen the sides of the cake. If you want to remove it from the pan, invert it onto a baking sheet, then invert it again, right-side up, onto a platter. With a toothpick or fork, poke holes all over the surface. Pour on the warm sauce. BAM.

Enjoy. :)