Fresh Caramel Apple Cake

This recipe is from Paula Deen and it is quite delish!! Super moist and tender and packed with awesome flavor! No better way to start the summer off right!

Cake:
Butter (for greasing pan)
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups peeled apples and finely chopped
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans


Sauce:
1/2 (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda


Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Generously grease a tub 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.  Pout 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 for an hour, then turn onto the rack to cool completely.