Best Apple Cake Ever

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 350°F
2. 2
   Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan.
3. 3
   Mix the apples, 5 tablespoons sugar and ground cinnamon in a large bowl.
4. 4
   Combine 2 1/2 cups sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, orange juice, orange peel and vanilla extract in another large bowl; whisk to blend.
5. 5
   Stir flour, baking powder and salt into egg mixture.
6. 6
   Spoon 1 1/2 cups batter into prepared bundt pan.
7. 7
   Top with half of apple mixture.
8. 8
   Cover with 1 1/2 cups batter.
9. 9
   Top with remaining apples, then with remaining batter.
10. 10
    Bake cake in preheated oven until top is golden brown and tester inserted near center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
11. 11
    Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes.
12. 12
    Run knife around sides of pan and center tube to loosen.
13. 13
    Turn cake out onto rack.
14. 14
    Cool for 1 hour.
15. 15
    Dust cake with confectioners' sugar.
16. 16
    Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, non-dairy whipped topping or whipped cream.
17. 17
    Store any leftover cake covered at room temperature.