OLD-FASHIONED APPLE CAKE WITH BROWN SUGAR FROSTING FROM KAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F Grease and flour a 9" x 13" pan.
• 2) To make the cake: Mix all of the ingredients except the apples and nuts in a large bowl.
• 3) Beat until well combined; the mixture will be very stiff, and may even be crumbly.
• 4) Add the apples and nuts, and mix until the apples release some of their juice and the stiff mixture becomes a thick batter, somewhere between cookie dough and brownie batter in consistency.
• 5) Spread the batter in the prepared pan, smoothing it with your wet fingers.
• 6) Bake the cake for 45 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few wet crumbs clinging to it.
• 7) Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a rack to cool completely; don't remove the cake from the pan.
• 8) To make the frosting: Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and salt and cook, stirring, until the sugar melts.
• 9) Add the milk, bring to a boil, and pour into a mixing bowl to cool for 10 minutes.
• 10) After 10 minutes, stir in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat well; if the mixture appears too thin, add more confectioners' sugar. Spread on the cake while frosting is still warm.