Ingredients

serves 16-20

　　

Cake

2 cups sugar

　　3 eggs

　　1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

　　1/4 cup orange juice

　　3 cups all-purpose flour

　　1 teaspoon baking soda

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　1 tablespoon cinnamon

　　1 tablespoon vanilla extract

　　3 cups peeled and finely chopped apples

　　1 cup shredded coconut

　　1 cup chopped pecans

　　

Sauce

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

　　1 cup sugar

　　1/2 cup buttermilk

　　1/2 teaspoon baking soda

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Generously grease a tube pan. For the cake, combine all the cake ingredients in a large bowl in the order given and mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 1/2 hours.

　　

Step 2

Shortly before the cake is done, make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large saucepan, stir in the sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda, and bring to a good rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Pour the sauce over the hot cake in the pan as soon as you remove it from the oven. Let stand 1 hour, then turn out.

　　Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics