Apple Cream Cheese Bundt Cake With Praline Frosting

   One of the fun things about this time of year is creating treats with the apples that our family picks on  our annual trip to one of the local orchards. Apple picking is something we have done with our kids since they were little, and honestly the photographs we have from those outings are some of my favorites. The vibrant colors of the apples and the brightness of the blue skies just make you appreciate this time of year even more. Of course afterwards we always make an apple pie (or two), and there is  something about the aroma of apples and cinnamon drifting from the kitchen that just makes the whole house seem so cozy. However, since I imagine that most people have a recipe for that standard dessert, I decided to share a different type of recipe that I received from a friend for this post. It too, will fill fill your home with an enticing aroma but your family will be surprised when you bring something different to the table.

Apple Cream Cheese Bundt Cake With Praline Frosting
Ingredients:

Cream Cheese Filling
1 8-oz package of cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract

Apple Cake Batter
1cup 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
1/2 tsp ground allspice
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups peeled and finely chopped apples (about 1 1/2 lb)

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

1:  Prepare Filling: Beat the first three ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended and sooth. Add the egg, flour and vanilla and beat until just blended.

2:  Prepare Batter: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.. Bake pecans in a shallow pan for 8-10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring 1/2 way through. Stir together 3 cups of flour and the next 7 ingredients, stirring just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in the apples and pecans

3:  Spoon two-thirds of the apple mixture into a greased and floured 14 cup bundt pan. Spoon the cream cheese filling over the apple mixture, leaving a 1 inch border around the edges of the pan. swirl through the apple mixture using a paring knife. Spoon the remaining apple mixture over the cream cheese filling.

4:  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes until a long wooden pick comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes and then remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack (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 quart sauce pan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Gradually whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth. Stir gently for 3-5 minutes or until the mixture begins to cool and thicken slightly. Pour immediately over the cooled cake. Garnish the frosting with extra toasted pecans if you'd like.