Fresh Apple Cake

This is the first recipe I have made using the apples we bought at the mountains this past weekend. It comes from good ole Paula Deen from the latest issue of Good Housekeeping. Like all her recipes, it's very, very good. I would definitely make it again and again. Even though she uses a 10 in tube pan with a removable bottom, I used my usual Bundt pan since I did not have the other kind. It came out just fine.

I'm looking forward to seeing the new horror movie "Paranormal Activity" this weekend. I am a horror movie fan and this one looks good. I've also just seen the movie "Twilight" (better late than never) and it was great. I had seen the preview recently for the sequel which is opening in November and knew I would want to see that. I was telling a coworker at work how much I liked "Twilight" and she brought in the book for me. I just started it and love it. Usually I only read non-fiction but I'm enjoying this. Evidently, I must have been living on Mars for quite a while since I didn't even know that this series of books existed!

Hope everyone has a great weekend! If you live down here in Virginia it's supposed to be cold and raining.....good movie weather!

1 cup chopped walnuts
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 1/2 cups chopped Granny Smith apples (from 3 medium apples, cored and peeled)
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat 10 inch tube pan with removable bottom with nonstick cooking spray with flour.
Place walnuts in 15 1/2" by 10 1/2" jelly roll pan; toast in oven for 7 minutes or until golden and fragrant. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt. In another large bowl, combine walnuts, vanilla, cinnamon and 3 cups of apples. Reserve remaining 1/2 cup apples (only if you are using removable pan).
In large bowl with mixer on medium-high speed, beat granulated sugar, oil and eggs until well blended. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture, scraping bowl occasionally with rubber spatula. Beat 1 minute longer or until well combined. With spatula, fold in apple mixture (batter will be thick). Spoon batter into prepared pan. Scatter remaining apple over top of batter; with fingers, press into top of batter (only if you are using removable bottom of tube pan).
Bake 1 1/2 hours or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Unmold cake and transfer to cake plate. Dust cake lightly with confectioners' sugar to serve.