Ingredients

makes one 10-inch cake

　　Vegetable oil cooking spray

　　12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

　　1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar

　　1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

　　2 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　1 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans

　　2 cups all-purpose flour

　　1 teaspoon baking soda

　　1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

　　1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

　　1 cup granulated sugar

　　1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

　　4 large eggs

　　Apple Cider Applesauce (page 560) or 1 1/2 cups store-bought applesauce

　　2 McIntosh apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch thick wedges

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 10-inch angel-food-cake pan with cooking spray; set aside. Make the crumb topping: Stir together 4 tablespoons butter, the dark-brown sugar, oats, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup pecans; set aside.

　　

Step 2

Make the batter: Sift the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves, and remaining 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 3/4 teaspoon salt; set aside. Put the remaining 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, the granulated sugar, and the light-brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs, 1 at a time. Reduce speed to low; mix in the applesauce and then the flour mixture. Stir in the remaining cup nuts by hand.

　　

Step 3

Pour the batter into the oiled pan; sprinkle the reserved crumb topping over the batter. Lay the apples on top, tucking some into the batter.

　　

Step 4

Bake until a cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Store at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap, up to 3 days.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.