Company's coming.... My favorite Apple Cake

Tonight Mom and I will entertain a couple of friends for a homey little dinner. We decided to bake and fix our favorites, so we'll be serving a nice Taco Salad, homemade sourdough starter rolls, buttery corn, pineapple and cheese salad, and for dessert--- my favorite apple cake. I have made this cake so many times it is like sitting down to play with an old friend. I really don't think a person can ruin this cake because I have done everything possible to try. Today I had to stir it up in the cake pan because my bowl was just too small at first. I have bundt caked it, loaved it, crumbled it, and frozen it. I don't peel my apples unless the peeling is very hard. Today I used yellow delicious and the apples that were red and shiny from Santa's stockings. How festive is that? I used fresh walnuts, a gift from our cousins' tree! I love it with pecans, too. Or raisins, or dried or fresh cranberries... or just about anything delicious you can add. Make half of it for just a couple of friends. This is a very old recipe, and I always include it in cookbooks when they ask for favorites. My dad's mother was known for her hospitality and her cooking. I often watched her stir this cake up while she talked to a kitchen full of friends. Ma was a delight, and she had so many good friends. When she passed away, I was touched by the line of sweet little old ladies who came up, slipped a rose from the flowers to "press" and whispered to me: "She was my very best friend." I'm sure this cake didn't hurt! Have a lovely weekend.

Ma's Apple Cake

1/2 c. butter

2 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. salt

2 t. baking soda

2 t. cinnamon

2 c. flour

5-7 c. chopped apples

1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans

Mix all together. Batter will be very stiff... almost no batter.

Put into sprayed 9 x 13 pan and bake about 45 minutes at 350 degrees until cake comes away from the sides. Cake will be very moist. Serve with brown sugar sauce and whipped cream.

Ma's Brown Sugar Sauce

1 c. brown sugar

6T. butter

2 T. flour

1 t. vanilla

1/2 t. burnt sugar flavoring

1 c. water

Using a whisk, cook all together until it comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute.

or this sauce

Ma's Caramel Sauce

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. evaporated milk

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 t. vanilla

Whisk together. Bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute