Fresh Apple Cake

You must make this cake.  Even if you don't really enjoy apple cake or coconut.  This cake is the bomb.  I know it's spring, and I should be posting something with strawberries or freshly snapped peas, but I just couldn't wait until fall to share this treasure with you. 

It begins with a pretty darned good cake, moist and sweet with bits of coconut and pecans.  Then it adds an extra step.  When the cake comes out of the oven, you pour over a mixture of butter, buttermilk, whole cane sugar, and vanilla and let it soak in.  The result?  A caramel-like buttery outside everyone will fight for.

My friend Anna served this for dessert last week while we were visiting in Monterey.  After the first bite, I practically begged her for the recipe.   I thought it surely contained white flour and white sugar, but she assured me she'd made it with all the "good stuff."  It's meant to be served at breakfast, but I think it's well suited for dessert.  You'll thank me when you try it.

Fresh Apple Cake
Keep in mind - you need to pour the sauce over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.  I haven't come up with a "soaked" version of this yet, but I will make sure and post it as soon as I do.
Adapted very loosely from Paula Deen
Serves 16-20

2 cups organic whole cane sugar or sucanat (to read more about this sugar click here)
3  large eggs
1 1/2 cups coconut oil
1/4 cup orange juice
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour (freshly ground preferred)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups grated fuji apples (I left the skins on)
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Sauce:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup organic whole cane sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat the oven to 325°F and adjust rack to middle position.  Stir together whole cane sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice, whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla in a large bowl.  Fold in apples, coconut and pecans (if using). 

Pour the batter into a buttered bundt pan.  Bake for 1 1/2 hours until cake tester comes out clean.

Sauce:  Put butter, whole cane sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda in a medium pan over medium heat.  Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.  As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour butter mixture over hot cake. Let the cake stand for 1 hour and then turn it out onto a cake stand.  Serve warm or at room temperature.