Apple Cake - Something new for the pile of fruit staring at me

The past few weeks of my full time job have been CRAZY leaving me with more hours of night work and less time to bake and blog. Tonight was looking the same, until my work computer decided to give me the "blue screen of death" this morning and my hard drive crashed. Luckily, I do back up to a server so most of my work was saved (so I am not drowning my sorrows in beer and I am sober enough tonight to type). It also leaves me a night of no work, and all baking! Yippee! Tonight the pile of my apple picking adventures are staring at me from the counter, so I am obligated to use them up. I have done apple crisp and apple pie before, so here is something slightly new - Apple Cake. Enjoy!

Apple Cake
4-6 med apples, peeled and diced
2 cups sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 lb melted butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 T. lemon juice
3 cups flour

Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 T. water

Pour 2 cups sugar over apples Add beaten eggs and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix well by hand. Add margarine and 2 T. lemon juice. Add flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Mix well. Add nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes in a 9x13 pan.Mix topping ingredients together and spread on top of hot cake and return for oven for 3 minutes longer.