It has taken me a lifetime of travel to finally visit one of the most enchanting spots: Venice, Italy. As a food and travel writer, I was obsessed with making a visit to this most unique city. With no cars -- only boats that took us from place to place -- it's like a floating metro system.

We stayed at The BAUERs Palladio Hotel & SPA on the Giudecca island facing St. Mark's Square. The converted 16th-century convent, now a relaxing hotel, has been beautifully restored with up-to-date amenities, and rustic, wild gardens have been preserved in the huge backyard. I fully expected Maggie Smith and her friends to show up for tea. These features make the Palladio a unique and wonderful place of refuge while experiencing Venice.

Owned by the Bauer family, this hotel had impeccable Italian service. I also dined at their flagship Bauer Hotel across the Giudecca canal near San Marco. As I sat on the terrace overlooking the Grand Canal (there's a fork between the two canals at this point), I had a memorable Venetian experience. The chef was on a roll that night, emphasizing Friulian wine and ingredients. Friuli is north of Venice, kind of like Napa and Sonoma are north of San Francisco. Each dish was more delicious and exquisitely presented than the last.

The most memorable dish was the surprise birthday cake the chef sent up to my room. Full of apples and not too sweet, but very moist, the cake captured a childhood taste memory. When I asked the chef for the recipe, he said it was his grandmother's. He called it a classic Italian fruitcake. Best of all, it's really easy to make.

After many attempts to recreate the chef's version, I finally had success with this delectable adaptation. His was showered with powdered sugar across the top, but I decided to make a lacy glaze. Use a cooking apple, like the Gala, Pippin or Granny Smith, for a great textural result. Make sure to distribute the apple pieces evenly on top of the batter to achieve an apple nugget in every bite.

Venetian Apple Cake

Serves 6 to 8

Cake:

Baking spray with oil and flour

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

...continued