Apple Cake

This recipe is from my mom, the queen of baking.

1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened (Mom says no substitutes)
2c white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
4c peeled, cored and chopped apples (I used 2 1/2 large Granny Smith apples)
2c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbls cinnamon (yes, tablespoon)
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Optional (any or all): 1 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup raisins, 1 cup of chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350. In lg bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir in apples (along with nuts, chips and/or raisins if using). Stir flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices together, and gently fold into the apple mixture. Pour batter into 2 greased 9" baking pans. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Bake about 40-50 mins at 350 til cake is done and tester comes out clean... Do not overbake.

Buttery, yummy, lightly-spiced, comforting cake. It would be great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, but what cake wouldn't? ;-) This is definitely going into the make-again pile!