Apple Cake

Bring on fall! I don't know how you feel about the warm weather that we have had this summer but I think it has been just too hot and am ready for a change. The heat kept my family in doors to much this summer and I'm ready to brake out. Bring on the jeans and light sweaters, the changing of the leaves, apple picking and bonfires, the warm cinnamon spice smell that comes from the kitchen and all that yummy comfort food.

I have a confession, I'm addicted to those cooking mags at the grocery store check out and blow my food budget by tossing them in my cart. But can you blame me when you see pictures like the one in the Sept issue of southern living.

I couldn't help myself, I try not to make these yummy treats unless we are having company or going to someone house. I can't have that stuff just sitting in my house with out eating the whole thing in one sitting, I just don't have self control when it come to sugar. When I found out we were invited for dinner to some friends house in Mount Holly I knew I had the perfect excuse to make something sweet. Of course this magazine caught my eye this week and I just couldn't help myself.

Hands On: 40 Minutes Total: 4 Hours, 10 Minutes

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

Preparation

• 1. 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.
• 2. Prepare Batter: Preheat oven to 350º. 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.
• 3. 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.
• 4. 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).
• 5. Prepare 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.

Sorry for the photo of my dirty oven. I wish you could capture the smell on a camera, my whole kitchen smelled like Autumn.


I'm always surprised when my cake come out of a bundt pan perfectly and not in pieces.

I wished I had let the icing cool longer then it said b/c it was still a little runny when I poured it on.


Laneybugs face when I told her she could lick the icing spoon.


Laneybugs licking the icing spoon.




I hope to go apple picking this week freeze some yummy deserts (if they're frozen maybe I won't gobble them up) Anyone have any good recipes that will freeze well?