Apple Cake (Not the bundt kind)

For years, I would make Jewish Apple Cake a couple of times each fall.  It was a production.  Great numbers of apples needed to peeled and sliced.  I carefully tried to divide a batter into thirds.  I prayed when it was time to remove the cake from the pan.  Would it stick or would it come out cleanly and be presentable?

Last year, I found a new apple cake recipe.  Sadly, I haven't gone back to the Jewish Apple Cake since.   I discovered this new cake was the perfect camping cake.  I make it in a 9x13" pan and all weekend, we snack on the cake--for breakfast while we wait for breakfast to be made, as a mid-morning/mid-afternoon snack, for dessert for lunch.  It's perfect.

I also don't peel the apples or thinly slice them--cubing them is just fine.  Sometimes, I mess up and don't follow the directions exactly--more than once, I forget put a layer of brown sugar/butter in the middle so I put a double thick layer on top.  Regardless, this cake is good and gets eaten quickly, whether we are camping or at home.

Makes one 9x13" pan

Apple Cake
adapted from thekitchn.com

1 1/2 c yogurt, well stirred (don't use Greek, it's too thick and doesn't have enough liquid)
2/3 c oil
a scant 1/4 c fresh lemon juice
1 c sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 1/2 lbs tart apples, such as Granny Smith
2 1/2 c flour
2 1/2 t baking powder
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 t cinnamon

1 c brown sugar
1 fat T cinnamon
4 T butter, at room temperature

Whisk together the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl.  Core the apples and chop into 1/2" chunks.  Stir the chopped apple into the liquid ingredients.  Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and 1/2 t cinnamon into the liquid ingredients and stir just until no lumps (minus the apples) remain.

In a separate small bowl, combine the brown sugar, 1 T cinnamon, and butter.

Pour half of the apple batter into a greased 9 x 13" pan.    Sprinkle half the cinnamon-brown sugar mixture over the apple batter.  Carefully spread the rest of the batter over top.  I find it's easiest to do this by dropping it by large spoonfuls onto the cinnamon-brown sugar and then carefully connecting the spoonfuls with a rubber scraper.  Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-brown sugar over the top.

Bake 45-55 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean in a preheated 350 degrees oven.  If it is browning too fast, cover it with foil at the end.  Let cool on a cooling rack for 15 minutes before cutting.