Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake
Recipe from Southern Living
Yield: Makes 12 servings
Ingredients:
CREAM CHEESE FILLING:
- 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
APPLE CAKE BATTER:
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1
teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 3/4
cup canola oil
- 3/4 cup applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups peeled and finely chopped Gala apples (about 1 1/2 lb.)
PRALINE FROSTING:
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Directions:
Filling
- Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with an mixer until blended and smooth
- Add egg, flour, and vanilla; beat just until blended
Batter
- Preheat oven to 350º.
- Toast pecans 8 to 10 minutes
- Stir together 3 cups flour and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl;
- Stir in eggs and next 3 ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
- Stir in apples and pecans.
- Spoon two-thirds of apple mixture into a greased and floured 14-cup Bundt pan.
- Spoon Cream Cheese Filling over apple mixture, leaving a 1-inch border around edges of pan.
- Swirl filling through apple mixture using a paring knife.
- Spoon remaining apple mixture over Cream Cheese Filling.
- Bake at 350º for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes;
- Remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 2 hours)
Frosting
- Bring 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 3 Tbsp. milk to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute, whisking constantly.
- Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
- Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth; stir gently 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture begins to cool and thickens slightly.
- Pour immediately over cooled cake.
- Add toasted pecans for decoration