Preheat & prep — Preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Grease a 9‑inch round cake pan or line it with parchment paper.

Prepare apples — Peel, core and chop the apples into small cubes. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar — In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. I usually scrape the sides once or twice so everything mixes evenly.

Add eggs & vanilla — Crack in the eggs one by one, blending thoroughly after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Combine dry ingredients — In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

Fold wet & dry — Gradually add the dry mix into the wet mixture, stirring gently until smooth.

Stir in apples — Fold the chopped apples into the batter. If you like, stir in nuts or raisins now.

Bake — Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 45–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.

Cool slightly and serve — Let the cake rest about 10 minutes before slicing so the juices settle and the texture firms up.