Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake with Praline Frosting

What are some of your favorite foodie magazine? Mine is by far Southern Living. 

The desserts in particular are absolutely divine... this Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake is a perfect example.

This cake is suitable for both dessert and breakfast. It is a pretty dense cake and has the consistency of a pound cake or sour cream coffee cake. I love cakes that can be "acceptable" for breakfast!  
The applesauce and cream cheese gave it the perfect amount of moisture and the praline topping added sweetness.
Enjoy!!


Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake with Praline Frosting
(16 servings)
Cream Cheese Filling:
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla extract


Apple Cake Batter:
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
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup applesauce*
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups peeled and finely chopped apples (I used fuji)
1 cup finely chopped pecans


Praline Frosting:
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
3 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted


DIRECTIONS:
1. Prepare filing: Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended and smooth. Add egg, flour, and vanilla; beat just until blended.
2. Prepare Batter: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Stir together 3 cups flour and next 7 ingredients. Stir in the three beaten eggs, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in apples and pecans.
3. Spoon half 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.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour 15 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack and cool completely (for 2 hours).
5. Prepare Frosting: Bring brown sugar, butter and milk to boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly for 1 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Gradually whisk in *sifted* powdered sugar until smooth. Stir gently for 3-5 minutes or until mixture begins to cool and thicken slightly. Pour immediately over cooled cake. Top with chopped pecans and dig in!


*I used my homemade applesauce
(Recipe adapted from Southern Living Magazine)