Apple and Cream Cheese Bundt Cake with Caramel Pecan Frosting

So I made the cake portion last night.  When I made the filling, it seemed like there was too much so I didn’t put all of it in.  I wish I had, but the portions that don’t have cream cheese still is tasty as just a plain apple cake.

Also, whoever said you could garnish this cake after icing is full of crap.  I poured the icing on and tried to garnish with the nuts and the icing was already rock hard and the nuts didn’t stick at all.  Whatev.**  Anyways, this is a great cake. A little time consuming.. but I was able to try my Kitchen Aide stand mixer that my dad bequeathed to me recently. It’s AWESOME.  The one I have is 30 years old and still mixes like a rock star.  Anyone who is a baking enthusiast should have one.
I also hate recipes where they say, stir the flour and the next seven ingredients… BAH. Just annoying.  But this recipe is worth it and tasty .
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 apples (about 1 1/2 lb.)

 Caramel Pecan Frosting:

•     1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
•     1/4 cup butter
•     3 tablespoons milk
•     1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•     1 cup powdered sugar
•     1 cup pecan halves (garnish)

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. Garnish with pecans (YEA RIGHT!!!!!!).

Recipe courtesy of:  http://www.jamhands.net/2012/09/apple-and-cream-cheese-bundt-cake-with.html

** after posting this on Facebook, a pal of mine gave me this tip.  Check it out:

Before you pour your batter in the pan, sprinkle the nuts in it (after spray/greasing/flouring the pan); instead of icing, after your removed the cooked cake from the oven, melt together a stick of real butter, a cup of sugar, and 1/2 cup of water (can substitute 1/2 the water with rum or other liquor and add as much as an additional 1/4 cup rum/liquor) – bring to a boil and boil for at least 3 minutes, stirring constantly; once the cake has cooled IN THE PAN for about 15 minutes, pour the glaze over it, letting it run down the sides of the cake into the pan; after another 10-15 minutes cooling in the pan, turn out the cake.