Wow and delicious are the two things I am going to say about this cake. Thanks to the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook, we were able to whip up this amazing cake for our Anniversary just a few nights ago. Super easy to make and the carmel cream-cheese icing finishes it off with just the right amount of tangy sweetness that this moist cake deserves. Thanks Magnolia Bakery Cookbook for this scrumptious dessert!

Ingredients:
For the cake
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tsp. cinnamon (or any other spice (nutmeg, allspice, ginger that you like)
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1.5 cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
3 large, room temperature eggs
3 cups apple, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup chopped walnuts (or any other nut you like)
2 tsp. vanilla or almond extract (or the recipe called for 3 Tbls. apple flavored brandy, which I did not have so I used vanilla)

For the Icing
2 eight ounce packages of cream cheese, softened and cut into pieces
1 stick of unsalted butter (1/2 cup) cut into pieces
1 cup of cold caramel (plus extra for decorating the top of the cake)
*Here is where I deviated from the recipe. I used 1/2 cup of caramel and 1.5-2 cups of powdered sugar to get the frosting to a more spreadable consistency.

Directions for the cake:
– Grease and flour two 9” pans (round or square) and line them with wax paper. Preheat oven to 325 F.
– In a large bowl sift flour spices, baking soda and salt then set it aside.
– In the mixer on medium speed, beat the oil with the sugar until smooth, about 3 minutes.
– Add eggs one at a time and beat until pale in color, about 1-2 minutes.
– Add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients in thirds, beating till each addition is smooth. The batter will be very thick and dough-like.
– With a spoon, add the apples, walnuts, and extract or brandy to the batter till just mixed together.
– Spoon into the cake pans and bake for 45-55 minutes.

Directions for the icing:
– Mix the cream cheese till smooth with an electric mixer.
– Add the butter to the cream cheese and beat till smooth.
– Gradually add the carmel and if using, the powdered sugar till well blended and smooth.
– Put frosting into the refrigerator to harden up before spreading onto cake.
– When the cake has cooled to room temperature, ice between layers, then the top and sides of cake with the cream cheese frosting.
– Drizzle remaining carmel over top of the cake and garnish with extra walnuts.

Invite over some friends and Enjoy because this is a big cake! Have fun and I hope you love this cake as much as we did!!!