Recipe for APPLE-CREAM CHEESE BUNDT CAKE

APPLE-CREAM CHEESE BUNDT CAKE
Desserts
Contributed by: Linda Curtis, from Southern Living magazine
Ingredients: For filling: 1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened 1â�„4 cup butter, softened 1â�„2 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 2 TBS all-purpose flour 1 tsp. vanilla extract For 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 1â�„2 tsp ground allspice 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 3â�„4 cup canola oil 3â�„4 cup applesauce 1 tsp. vanilla extract 3 cups peeled and finely chopped Gala apples (about 11â�„2 lb.) For Praline Frosting 1â�„2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1â�„4 cup butter 3 TBS 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 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). Prepare frosting: bring 1â�„2 cup brown sugar, 1â�„2 cup butter and 3 TBS milk to a boil in a 2-quart. 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.
(This recipe was contributed as part of a "Cook of the Week" feature.)