Mom's Apple Cake

I made this cake a little while ago as a thank you for my neighbours for feeding my cat while I was away on holiday. The recipe is from Outsider Tart's Baked In America (and "mom's apple cake" is the name they gave it - it's not from my mum!) but I adapted it a little and have written the recipe out in my own words according to the method I used.

You need:
For the apple layer:

6 apples, peeled and thinly sliced
6 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
grated zest of one orange
For the cake:
450g plain flour
450g granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
240ml vegetable oil
4 eggs
60ml orange juice
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 190C. Grease and/or line a 10 inch round cake tin depending on preference.
Slice the apples

Mix the apples, sugar, cinnamon and orange zest in a bowl and leave to rest.

In another bowl, mix all the dry ingredients for the cake. In a separate bowl, combine the oil, eggs, orange juice and vanilla. Slowly mix into the dry ingredients and stir well.

Spoon half the cake mixture into the tin and arrange the sliced apples over the top.

Then spoon the rest of the cake mixture over the top and bake for 60-90 minutes. After about 45 minutes cover the tin with foil to stop the top from burning, and test regularly after 60 minutes to determine when the cake is cooked.

I didn't try any of this cake as I gave it to my neighbours but it looked like a sort of fruit cake texture-the kind of cake that tastes better a day or two later. I might have to make it again so I can try it myself!

I'm sending this to Alphabakes, the blog challenge I co-host with Ros from The More Than Occasional Baker, as the letter she has randomly chosen this month is A.

I am also sending it to the No Waste Food Challenge, hosted by Elizabeth's Kitchen and Kate from Turquoise Lemons as the ingredient they are encouraging us to use up this month is fruit. This cake is a great way to use up apples that are getting past their best or that have been bruised as you can cut those parts out when you slice the apple.