Apple Cream Cheese Bundt Cake - WTF and WOW Recipe Wednesday

Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake (http://www.southernliving.com/)

Ingredients

Cream Cheese Filling

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened

¼ cup butter, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tsp 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 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp ground allspice

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

¾ cup canola oil

¾ cup applesauce

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups peeled and finely chopped Gala apples (about ½ pound)

Praline Frosting

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

¼ cup butter

3 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar

Prepare filling:  beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended and smooth.  Add egg, flour, and vanilla; beat just until blended. 

Prepare batter:  preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake pecans in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.  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 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool cake in pan on wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack; and cool completely (about 2 hours).

Prepare frosting:  bring ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup butter, and 3 Tbsp milk to a boil in a 2-qt sauce pan 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.