Apple Cake

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 or 3 cups apples (peeled, cored and cubed)

Topping:
2 tablespoons butter (melted)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup nuts (pecans or walnut coarsely chopped)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch cake pan.
For the topping mix the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour and nuts in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl cream the sugar and the eggs. Sift the flour, baking powder, soda and salt together in another bowl. To the egg mixture add the milk and the sifted ingredients, mix well. Add apples last. Pour into prepared cake pan. Sprinkle the topping over the top of the batter and bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Tastes great with whipped cream or ice cream. Plain is great too.