Apple Spice Cake

(Adapted from a recipe by Martha Stewart)

1 1/3 cups vegetable oil

3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1 Tbs ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg (about 1/2 of a whole nutmeg)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

3 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 large apples)

1 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine vegetable oil, sugar and eggs. Beat on high speed until lemon yellow in color, then mix in vanilla extract. Lower speed and mix in the flour mixture in two or three increments. Remove bowl from the mixer and fold in the apples and pecans until well-distributed.

Spoon batter into prepared Bundt pan and smooth top slightly. The batter will be very dense and heavy. Tap pan on the counter to settle the batter and eliminate any large air pockets.

Bake at 350°F for 75 to 90 minutes, until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out the cake onto a baker's rack to cool completely.

Before serving, dust cake lightly with powdered sugar.

Note: Martha Stewart suggested serving this cake with a caramel sauce. It's also good served with Calvados flavored whipped cream.