Apple-filled Cake

Ingredients

 * 3 cups of chopped, peeled apples
 * 2 cups of sugar
 * 4 Tablespoons of cornstarch
 * 3 cups of white flour
 * 1 Tablespoon of baking powder
 * 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
 * 1/3 cup of butter or margarine, soft but not melted
 * 2 beaten eggs
 * 1 cup of buttermilk
 * 1 teaspoon vanilla
 * 1/2 cup of white flour

Directions

 * 1) In a saucepan combine the apples and 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes until the apples are tender. Combine 1/2 cup of sugar and the cornstarch. Stir into the fruit mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook two more minutes. Set aside.
 * 2) In a mixing bowl stir together 1 cup of the sugar, the 3 cups of flour, the baking powder, and baking soda. Reserve 4 Tablespoons of the butter. Add the rest of the butter to the flour mixture and "cut in" until it resembles fine crumbs. Combine the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Spread half of the batter into an 9" x 13" cake pan. Spread the fruit mixture over the batter. Drop the remaining batter by rounded Tablespoons over the top of the apple filling. Do not spread it. Leave it in mounds (evenly spaced) on top of the filling.
 * 3) On the side, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and the 1/2 cup of flour. Cut in the remaining 4 Tablespoons of butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Sprinkle over the cake. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.