Grandgirl's Fresh Apple Cake from Georgia

Cake: Butter, for greasing pan 2 cups sugar 3 eggs 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil 1/4 cup orange juice 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 3 cups peeled and finely chopped apples 1 cup shredded coconut 1 cup chopped pecans Sauce: 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup buttermilk 1/2 teaspoon baking soda Directions Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease a tube pan. For the cake: in a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract; and mix well. Fold apples, coconut, and pecans into batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours. Shortly before the cake is done, make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large saucepan, stir in the sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda, and bring to a good rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Pour the sauce over the hot cake in the pan as soon as you remove it from the oven. Let stand 1 hour, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/grandgirls-fresh-apple-cake-from-georgia-recipe/index.html