ALEXANDER'S APPLE CAKE

For many years, I went to Fire Island with three friends and their partners. Sometimes there were eight of us and sometimes only six. Each of the four of us, partners included, was responsible for dinner on a night and in a sequence roughtly determined by who felt like cooking and what we all thought sounded good for dinner. My friend Alexander probably had the least experience as a cook (and the least interest in cooking) but he was always willing to do his part and often came to the Island armed with recipes suggested by his friends and clients that were both easy to make and good to eat. They were always both. Here's one of those recipes, a gooey, apple-y cake that was a great favorite.

ALEXANDER'S APPLE CAKE

serves 8



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour a tube pan.

2. Peel and slice very thin, 4-5 Granny Smith apples and cover them with 2 teaspoons  cinnamon mixed with 5 teaspoons sugar.

3. Mix in a bowl: 2 1/3 cups sugar, 1 cup light vegetable oil and 4 eggs.

4. In another bowl, cream well, and then add to egg mixture: 3 cups sifted flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1/3 cup orange juice (without pulp) and 2 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla.

5. Layer the tube pan with dough, then apples, then dough, etc. preferably with apples as the top layer.

6. Bake for about 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Can be made completely ahead.